The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, is rallying his constituents, traditional authorities, and civil society to join forces in a community-led campaign to end illegal mining and restore the Birim River, describing the fight as “a battle for survival.”
In a passionate statement, Dr. Agyemang said the devastation caused by galamsey has gone beyond environmental damage to threaten livelihoods, social order, and the moral fabric of the constituency.
“Our farms are dying, our schools are emptying, and our people are losing hope,” he warned. “This is not just about water — it is about our children’s future.”
He highlighted the human toll of the crisis: loss of farmland productivity, collapse of cocoa cultivation, youth addiction, and rising unemployment.
Dr. Agyemang commended the Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly and security agencies for their ongoing efforts but insisted that the real victory lies in community ownership of the campaign.
He called on chiefs, churches, youth groups, and opinion leaders to form local task forces that will monitor illegal mining activities and report offenders to authorities.
“This is not about NPP or NDC; it’s about life,” he said. “When the Birim dies, Abuakwa South dies.”
Community members have already begun organizing awareness drives and clean-up campaigns, reflecting growing public resolve to reclaim their river and rebuild local livelihoods.
As one resident put it, “We have seen what greed has done to our land. Now it’s time for us, the people, to take it back.”
Source: newsghana.com.gh
