According to Thomas Tanko Musah, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the menace of illegal mining (galamsey) has affected the brains of several Ghanaian students, making academic work more difficult.
Tanko Musah and other heads of organised labour have in this way asked the President of the country Nana Akufo-Addo to declare a state of emergency.
The leadership have expressed serious worry about the effect of galamsey activities on the mental health of students and occupants in the mining communities all around the country.
As per GNAT’s General Secretary, those in the schools now, have their brainpower impacted due to the synthetic substances used in this unlawful mining activities.
He stated that because students drink from these polluted water bodies, the threat has affected them academically and everyone in these communities.
“We are very particular of their head, after destroying it, they come and we say we are giving them one nutritious meal. Which meal can destroy what mercury has damaged? Based upon these things, we are asking the President to act now,” he said.
Additionally, Andy Tagoe, GAWU General Secretary, condemned the practice.
“Already, we have problems with pesticides and coming to add the galamsey effect doubles the problem,” he pointed out.
Christopher Abokah, the General Secretary of Local Government Workers Union, also forewarned against political influence in galamsey activities.
“It is not about NPP, it is not about NDC, it is not about whoever comes to power, we don’t need that kind of political interference,” he stated.
He asked political parties cease from wading into controversy with this serious issue that adversely affect the existences of millions of individuals in the country.
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