The protesters, including females dressed in red and black attire, gathered at the Omanhene’s Park at about 6:30 a.m., before marching through the principal streets of the town on the theme: “Berekum Says No to Galamsey.”
The protests, marked by chants, drumming and the display of placards, drew attention to the growing anxiety among residents over the health and environmental consequences of illegal mining activities in the area.
Some of the placards read “Galamsey breeds incurable diseases,” “Infertility is what galamsey brings to host communities,” “Galamsey leaves our communities with mercury poisoning,” “Galamsey promises kidney diseases,” and “Galamsey is eroding our forest.”
Health risk
The demonstrators expressed concern about the pollution of rivers, degradation of farmlands and the long-term health risks associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals, particularly mercury, used in illegal mining operations.
In a show of solidarity, the Berekumman Citizens Association joined the demonstration, having earlier issued a statement endorsing the protest and urging its members and the public to actively participate.
The Association described the fight against galamsey as a shared responsibility, stressing that collective action was crucial to safeguarding the future of Berekum and its surrounding communities.
“As an association dedicated to the development and well-being of Berekum, we view the fight against galamsey as a collective responsibility; one that requires the active involvement of all stakeholders,” it said.
It explained that over the years, it had engaged various stakeholders on sustainable strategies to combat the menace, adding that the demonstration was a significant step towards strengthening advocacy and amplifying the collective voice against galamsey.
Throughout the march, participants called on government, traditional authorities and regulatory bodies to intensify efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities and enforce environmental protection laws.
Petition
Leaders of the peaceful demonstration presented a petition to the Berekum Municipal Chief Executive Officer (MCE), Hajia Fatima Binta Abubakar, calling for an immediate halt to all mining activities within the Berekum Paramount Area.
Signed by the Co-convener of the Concerned Citizens of Berekum, Nana Oppong Boateng Dartey, the petition described galamsey as a “destiny-defining” threat and traced the town’s anti-mining stance to a 2022 decision by the Berekum Traditional Council to reject a prospecting bid at Kutre No. 1.
“It was agreed that Berekum would not, under any circumstances, entertain any form of mining, and that position remains unchanged,” it stated.
It cited acute water challenges as a major concern, explaining that River Koraa, once the main water source, was nearly dried up, leaving the growing population dependent on boreholes.
Life-threatening
It stressed that any activity that compromised their already dire water situation would be life-threatening.
The petition also warned that Berekum’s limited land size made it vulnerable to environmental degradation, while raising alarm over recent illegal mining activities in areas such as Benkasa and Amomaso.
It dismissed claims that some operators had secured consent from traditional authorities, stating emphatically that no approval had been granted and describing all such activities as criminal.
“Allowing galamsey amounts to mortgaging the future of the next generation,” it said, citing risks of water pollution, disease and long-term livelihood loss.
It further called for investigations and prosecution of individuals who had allegedly obtained authorisation under false pretences, insisting: “We shall not entertain galamsey on our land.”
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Source:
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