Mr. Asare Donkor who has been monitoring and reporting on the galamsey menace in the country, in a follow-up to an earlier documentary ‘Destruction for Gold’ revealed that his visit to the areas he had covered in the previous documentary, while they have witnessed few galamsey activities in the area are riddled with uncovered pits.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he said the cost of mining to the environment and the wellbeing of individuals in mining communities far outweigh any benefits the country obtains from the sale of its minerals.
According to him, the exposure of expecting mothers to harmful toxins in the air, in water bodies and through the ingestion of foodstuff cultivated on contaminated lands has led to a rise in birth defects, stillbirths and maternal mortality in affected areas.
Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, has called on government to spearhead a conscious and determined effort to stop the activities of illegal miners in the country.