Accra, June 8, GNA - Mr David Tampori Dramani, the Principal Programmes Assistant at the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), has entreated government to as a matter of urgency curb the illegal mining (galamsy) in the Atewa forest.
He said the move would save government from the risk of importing water to meet the country’s future needs.
He advised government to put in place some stringent measures to bring back the natural form of the forest.
Mr Dramani was speaking at a panel discussion organised by the GWS to celebrate the World Environment Day in Accra.
He said though illegal mining (galamsey), was one of the most dangerous environmental degrading activity in Ghana, the illegal cutting down of timber was next to it and deserved the same serious attention.
Mr Dramani said the illegal act exposes the soil to continuous rain and sun, thereby making it loose and prone to erosion since the shrubs that would have been in the subsequent years would also be destroyed.
He said the grass in the Atewa forest could now be burnt with ease and that “this was not so in the last four years”, adding that, “this makes it easy for water to carry the top soil away”.
The Principal Programme Assistant noted that these dangerous acts not only destroy the forest but the lives of both animals on the land and in the water bodies as well.
He said the communities were taking advantage of the “loosed situations” to perpetuate their activities on the environment and the water body, which was also the main source of water to most of the communities in the district.
Mr Dramani said the high demand and lucrative nature of gold was making it difficult for people in the communities to quit such detrimental activities since the illegal act was fetching them more money.
He believed that, the forest could be protected if it was turned into a game reserve, which would serve as a tourist site to generate income for the country.
He also called on the National Commission for Civic Education to intensify education and sensitisation of the people on the dangers of illegal mining.
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