Gideon Boako, the New Patriotic Party’s Tano North parliamentary aspirant, has expressed his outrage towards individuals engaging in illegal mining, especially in water bodies.
The spokesperson for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia labeled such practices as “inherently evil,” underscoring the severe damage they inflict on Ghana’s environment and critical water resources.
Dr. Boako’s comments arrive amidst growing concerns over the galamsey crisis, which has become a pressing issue in recent years. In an interview with Peace FM on Monday, October 7, he emphasized the dire consequences of mining in water bodies, pointing out that it not only leads to environmental destruction but also jeopardizes public health.
He highlighted that the pollution of water sources threatens the livelihoods of communities that rely on clean water for drinking, agriculture, and other essential activities.
“Dr. Bawumia’s position on illegal mining and mining everywhere and using any means and any method to mine… is not good and they are destroying the land. The most painful part is those mining on our water bodies,” he remarked.
Boako called for a collective response to tackle the galamsey problem, urging both government officials and citizens to unite against illegal mining activities. He stressed the necessity for stricter enforcement of existing laws to deter those who exploit the nation’s natural resources without regard for the environment.
“The water bodies that we all use for our cooking and drinking purposes is not good at all. It is evil to mine in water bodies. Anything that will destroy human lives is evil and must not be countenanced,” he concluded, reinforcing the belief that illegal mining not only harms the environment but also endangers public safety.
