The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) have added their voice to the incessant calls for the release of protestors who were arrested during the #SayNoToGalamsey protest.
The Police arrested and detained over 50 protestors who were protesting against illegal mining in Ghana.
They have been remanded in prison till October 8, 2024.
PFAG in a statement on October 1, 2024, said: “While these protestors are detained, the illegal miners continue to destroy farmlands, pollute water bodies, and endanger rural livelihoods in actions that contradict the government’s own “Greening Ghana” initiative. The campaigners were only bringing urgent attention to these critical issues and advocating for the protection of our forests, water bodies, and the environment.”
The group noted that the continued escalation of ‘galamsey’ across the country threatens the very foundation of Ghana’s agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the economy and sustains millions of Ghanaians.
They also lamented the dire effects o
f galamsey on water bodies.
“‘Galamsey’ has resulted in widespread destruction of farmlands, pollution of rivers, and contamination of soils, rendering vast tracts of fertile land unsuitable for farming. Farmers in affected communities are experiencing declining yields, reduced incomes, and the loss of land that could otherwise feed the nation and contribute to exports,” the statement noted.
Source: Ghana Web