The activities of mining companies over the years have wiped out the livelihoods of many farmers in mining communities in most part of Ghana, Mrs Hanna Owusu Koranteng, Associate Executive Director of Wacam, has said.
According to her, farmers in such areas are in distress following the inordinate destruction of their farmlands and river bodies by both illegal small-scale miners and duly registered mining companies.
Speaking as a guest on Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday August 31, Mrs Koranteng noted that several residents had been left bedridden with diseases as a result of the release of poisonous chemicals into the water bodies, which serve as sources of drinking water to the people.
She said: “The first problem (of mining) is damage to rivers because anybody who engages in surface mining and even underground mining damages water bodies.”
“Surface mining destroys soil water, rivers, rain water, and so if there were places where you were engaged in rain water harvesting for drinking, currently you will not be able to get it because of the poisonous dust that goes into the skies as a result. Mining destroys the environment and inflicts illnesses on residents of mining communities.”
She told host Chief Jerry Forson: “Also, mining activities have destroyed farmlands; the farmers are unable to reap from their farms due to the damage done to the soil through mining. Farmers can no longer pick snails and mushrooms.”
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
