Yaw Osafo Maafo, the senior presidential advisor, has attributed some responsibility to traditional leaders for the escalating contamination of the country’s river bodies due to illegal mining activities.
Osafo Maafo expressed concern that certain chiefs in regions where illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey,” is prevalent, provide their lands to these miners, leading to severe pollution of water bodies that cannot be easily purified.
His remarks were delivered during the 23rd General Meeting of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana held in Kwahu Abetifi, situated in the Eastern Region.
“Consider the detrimental effects of galamsey on our land. Should we permit the pursuit of profits by a select few to jeopardize the very foundation of our essential water sources? There exist areas where water purification is nearly impossible, and in places where it’s feasible, we’re incurring purification costs threefold what we used to. All of this is unfolding right in the presence of our chiefs who granted the land for galamsey,” Osafo Maafo emphasized.
He also expressed apprehension about the escalating issue of corruption, even in the midst of Ghana’s substantial Christian population.
“With 72 percent of our populace identifying as Christians, witnessing the proliferation of corruption raises questions about the effectiveness of the message we impart to this significant portion of our population. It’s imperative for us to engage in introspection and as a nation, collaborate with the government to implement measures that will combat corruption. Merely discussing corruption without taking tangible actions won’t suffice,” Osafo Maafo urged.
Source – citinewsroom.com
