Galamsey communities reluctant to support Anti-Galamsey fight due to personal gains – Wofa Kofi Appiah laments
Kessben FM’s Wofa Kofi Appiah has raised pressing concerns about the ongoing fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, in Ghana.
According to him, one of the major stumbling blocks to ending the environmental menace is the very communities that are supposed to support the effort.
Speaking Kessben FM, Wofa Kofi Appiah lamented,”Most of the galamsey communities do not support the fight against galamsey due to the benefits they get”
Wofa Kofi Appiah’s observations underscore a complex reality: for many residents in galamsey-prone areas, illegal mining is not merely a crime, it is a means of survival. Young men and women depend on it for employment, while some community leaders allegedly benefit financially through kickbacks or direct involvement.
Small businesses thrive on the influx of cash into these towns, and entire local economies have, unfortunately, become dependent on the illicit activity.
Despite the economic benefits to individuals, the consequences of illegal mining are dire. Rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin continue to be polluted beyond safe levels, farmlands are destroyed, and forest reserves are being depleted at an alarming rate. The health of future generations is at stake, yet immediate economic survival seems to outweigh long-term environmental preservation.
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