The Coordinator for Eco-Conscious, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Awula Serwah, has said those poisoning Ghana’s water bodies through illegal mining activities also known as ‘galamsey’ are committing war crimes.
She says the act is not different from those committing such crimes, also likening them to environmental terrorists.
Juxtaposing the arrest of the Democracy Hub protestors with the soft hands with which those doing galamsey are being treated, Awulah indicated that it was time to act than to talk.
She described the menace as “environmental terrorism” during a plenary contribution at Media General’s Anti-galamsey forum on the theme; The Galamsey Fight, Beyond the Talk, What Next?
“This is a war crime. In peace time, you allow people to poison our water bodies and tell the police to arrest those demonstrating on the streets against galamsey. What is going on is environmental terrorism,” she stated.
Madam Serwah asked political office seekers to sign off a state of emergency agreement on the issue, adding that “the time for talking is gone.”
“We need to deal with Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s report. He didn’t just get up and write the report. We want to save Ghana. We are all complicit. Our children will not forgive us,” she added.
The fight against galamsey has been abandoned by the government leaving citizens to stage a protest to draw the government’s mind on the menace which has caused widespread environmental destruction in the country.
Civil advocacy group Democracy Hub, organised a three-day protest against the government which escalated into a clash with the police leading to the arrest of protestors, including a minor, 10-year-old, amid growing unrest over illegal mining and economic hardship.
Many have criticised the police for the manner with which they handled the protestors, with private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, calling for the resignation of the IGP.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Ghana Police Service, Grace Ansah-Akrofi, indicated after the arrests that, the police picked up the demonstrators because their assembly was unlawful, and the officers’ attempt to maintain order caused the clash between them.
“The demonstrators engaged in acts of lawlessness, damaging state property and obstructing traffic,” Ansah-Akrofi told the media, adding that “they disrupted the peace. Those responsible will face justice.”
Meanwhile, the suspects have been detained into custody for two more weeks, something many have condemned and described as out of place.
Source:onuaonline.com