I am excited to share that the youth of Nzema in the Western Region of Ghana have caught on to our message of safeguarding one's community against the ravages of Galamsey and it's more politically correct cousin "Community Mining." In Ghana today, "Community Mining" is the new name being used in official circles for government sanctioned Galamsey.
When one digs deeper, there is no difference between the "illegal" Galamsey and the Community Mining in that they both destroy communities, leave in their wake gullies and destroyed water bodies. While some may claim not to use mercury on paper, eventually it is the same destroyed communities requiring more than 10x whatever benefit a few would have gotten from the destruction to fix the environmental damage that is left behind.
This is why I am excited to see the Youth of Nzema stand up and categorically reject the community mining inaugurated in Kwabre near Nuba in Nzema West (Jomoro) district. It is my hope that more communities would stand up and do same. Like the Galamsey Action Group has indicated in a solutions proposal document shared with Ghana government representatives, we need to halt any form of small scale mining for at least two years, undertake a comprehensive cost benefit analysis. Then, and only if found to be net beneficial, should the government consider implementing a restructured, regulated Small and Artisanal Small Scale Mining in Ghana. More here: Read our key proposals summary here.