The Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda and former Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has questioned whether Ghana is deriving enough economic benefit from its gold resources amid the growing environmental damage caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
In a social media post, Mr Acquah posed a pointed question about the country’s inability to balance gold production with responsible mining.
“So if we are not able to ensure responsible mining, can’t we just make some good profits on the gold we sell? Oh mother Ghana…….”
His comments come amid renewed concerns over the impact of illegal mining on water bodies and other natural resources, particularly the Birim River in the Akyem Oda area.
Mr Acquah has been outspoken about the degradation of forest reserves and water bodies, particularly those that serve as important sources of water for communities across the country.
He has toured mining sites, particularly those in his constituency around the Oda Sawmill-Birim Bridge, where he said he witnessed extensive environmental destruction linked to mining activities.
He warned that the Birim River is under severe threat, alleging that materials from mining pits are being washed directly into the water, exposing the river and surrounding ecosystem to potentially harmful pollutants and chemicals.
According to him, the continued destruction of the water body could have serious implications for communities that depend on it, as well as the wider environment.
Beyond the environmental consequences, Mr Acquah has questioned the effectiveness of Ghana’s broader strategy for combating illegal mining.
He has argued that the fight against galamsey should not be limited to arrests and the seizure or destruction of mining equipment, but should also involve accountability for political and public office holders whose jurisdictions are affected by illegal mining.
He has also accused the government of selective justice in the handling of some high-profile illegal mining cases, a claim that has contributed to the wider political debate over the enforcement of anti-*galamsey* measures.
Mr Acquah’s position has also intersected with the partisan debate over responsibility for the resurgence of illegal mining.
He has maintained that there was no active galamsey in Akyem Oda during the earlier years of the NPP administration, but says illegal mining has since emerged aggressively in parts of the constituency.
The Akyem Oda legislator has alleged that some of the current operations are being carried out secretly by individuals associated with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The allegations form part of a broader political dispute over illegal mining, with the two major political parties regularly trading accusations over the causes of the persistent problem and responsibility for its enforcement.
Mr Acquah has also called for greater involvement of traditional and religious leaders in protecting Ghana’s natural resources.
He has urged Christian and Muslim leaders, as well as chiefs and other traditional authorities, to speak more forcefully against activities that threaten forests, rivers and other environmental assets.
He believes their influence within local communities gives them an important role in discouraging illegal mining and encouraging residents to protect water bodies and other natural resources.
The MP’s concerns reflect the wider national debate over how Ghana can benefit from its gold wealth without sacrificing critical environmental resources.
He has warned that the pursuit of quick financial gains through destructive mining could ultimately impose a much greater cost on communities and the country through environmental degradation, disease and food insecurity.
Mr Acquah has, at various points, expressed his frustration with the persistence of galamsey, including appealing for divine intervention to help Ghana overcome the crisis.
His latest comments therefore combine an economic question with his longstanding environmental concerns: if the country cannot guarantee responsible mining, he is asking whether it is at least receiving sufficient value from the gold being extracted while communities bear the consequences of the environmental damage.
By 1960news.com
