No Monetary Value From Gold Is Worth Our Lives, Says Ghana’s TUC Vice

Vice Chairman of Ghana’s Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ken Tweneboah Kodua, have expressed disappointment in the government’s failure to impose a ban on small-scale mining, particularly on illegal mining known as Galamsey.

Kodua stated this on Saturday, September 4, during an interview with Newsfile, noting that no amount of gold revenue is worth the lives of Ghanaians.

According to him, the government should consider the broader implication of illegal mining (galamsey) beyond “revenue loss” from gold mining.

Are we putting our lives and everything at stake on foreign exchange? Is that what the government is saying when we have the danger of Ghanaians losing their lives due to the chemicals being used? He questioned.

When we have the danger of not having water to drink when the food we eat is polluted with these chemicals. I think this argument is far bloated out, he added.

He further argued, “What will be the use when the money is in and we have a lot of burden? I think that argument is not right for me. The government must listen to the people. Lives are at stake.”

Kodua also urged the government to withdraw the mining license of small-scale miners and conduct a “thorough audit” to determine legal and illegal miners. He said this would help avoid pollution of water bodies or depletion of forest reserves.

Meanwhile, the TUC has served notice of strike this month if drastic measures are not considered, as he adds that the union is meeting the government regarding illegal mining.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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Mayowa Durosinmi is a Nigerian investigative reporter for West Africa Weekly with reports focusing on politics, human rights, security and health in West Africa and the Sahel region.

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