The Media Coalition Against Galamsey has expressed disappointment over the Ghana Medical Association’s (GMA) decision to withdraw from the upcoming nationwide strike planned by Organised Labour.
This comes after Organised Labour reaffirmed its commitment to proceed with the strike on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in protest of the government’s failure to effectively tackle the illegal mining (galamsey) crisis.
The Media Coalition had hoped that the GMA, as a key institution, would join the nationwide industrial action to amplify pressure on the government to take decisive steps against galamsey, which has had devastating effects on the environment and public health.
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Media Coalition Against Galamsey, in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Tuesday, October 8, emphasised the severe health risks posed by galamsey and urged the GMA to reconsider its stance.
“It is a shame that we have the GMA, who were one of those early institutions to have written the need to use various legal and democratic tools to get solutions to a problem which is more medical than anything else…It is quite difficult to see why the GMA would want to dissociate themselves with this action,” Dr Ashigbey stated.
He highlighted the critical health implications of galamsey, including water contamination and respiratory issues, which have dire consequences for the population.
Dr Ashigbey called on the GMA to join other labour unions in the fight against galamsey, stressing the importance of collective action in safeguarding public health.
“…The health implications are really dire, and I am hoping that GMA reconsiders their decision but be that as it may I think we have a good number of Labour unions… You know posterity will judge all of us on what we did when Ghana was at the point of poisoning itself to extinction—where did people stand and fortunately the internet does not forgive neither does it forget,” he stated.
