Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has said all politicians must come together and support the government in the fight against illicit small scale mining (Galamsey) which is destroying water bodies and the environment in general.
He intimated that galamsey has resulted in the high cost of treating water by the Ghana Water Company Limited.
In addition to this, he said, people are dying out of cancer by drinking polluted water from the rivers that have been destroyed by the miners.
Addressing a gathering in Effutu, the Deputy Majority Leader said “President Akufo-Addo made me Board Chairman of Ghana Water Company Limited and I know how much it costs to treat water Because we the politicians have made every thing partisan, we are looking at the next elections, we are unable to boldly confront the challenges that face our nation. So galamsey is destroying us.
“People are dying of cancer, people are dying without knowing why they are dying, the water we drink, you think it is safe for you? Let us confront galamsey, let us confront the challenges that face our nation.
“I call on my colleague politicians CPP, NDC, NPP, let us come together, build a consensus on the key national issues that will benefit our people in the long term. That is what these Europeans and Americans have done and we all want to go there. If we continue with this type of parochial politics trust me, our country will go nowhere.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has served notice that in the coming weeks, he is going to announced a decision by the government to to increase the level of enforcement of the measures against galamsey.
