Rocky Dawuni adds voice to fight against Galamsey, calls it 'a curse'

Renowned reggae icon and United Nations Ambassador Rocky Dawuni has made an urgent plea to Ghanaians to take a stand against illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, which are destroying the country's natural resources.

In an interview with Hitz FM on September 12, 2024, the Grammy-nominated artiste expressed deep concern about the detrimental effects galamsey is having on water bodies and vital ecosystems.

“Imagine the value of water, and we are destroying all our water bodies because of an immediate acquisition of wealth. It is such a curse, and we need to rise up as a people and make sure that we focus on this galamsey, he said.

It's crazy because as an ambassador for the environment, for the United Nations, for Africa, you can imagine I go to all these conferences, and people just walk up to me from different countries and ask, ‘What is going on?’ And I tell them, ‘I don't know. I have no words to explain,’” Dawuni said, highlighting the global concern surrounding the issue.

He emphasised the long-term environmental and health consequences, urging Ghanaians to recognise the lasting damage being caused. “So to all my people, let's stand up and stop this because it's robbing our future. It's destroying our livelihood. It's putting cyanide, mercury, all these heavy metals into our food chain, and then all of that is going into our waterways,” he explained.

Dawuni warned of the harmful effects of these toxic substances infiltrating the water supply, posing a threat to public health. “Imagine that when you open your tap and you drink some of this stuff that is in the rivers, we are connected to the rivers ourselves. We are part of this whole network of life,” he added, stressing the urgent need for action.

His call aligns with those of other prominent figures who have voiced their concerns over galamsey. Meanwhile, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has also threatened to hold demonstrations and a nationwide strike if the government does not take decisive action against illegal mining by the end of September, highlighting the potential for widespread unrest if action is not taken.

The combined calls for intervention reflect a growing frustration with the ongoing environmental degradation and its potentially devastating impact on Ghana's future.

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