Ban all small-scale mining operations – Health Associations and Unions to President Akufo-Addo

A group of Associations and Unions in the health sector has called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately ban all small-scale mining operations, whether legal or illegal, to halt the shameful environmental destruction.The group urged the Government to strengthen regulatory enforcement by resourcing the relevant security agencies to clamp down on all persons who flouted the directive and prosecute them.We will be following keenly how events unfold and that we cannot guarantee industrial harmony if our demands are not met, the Group said in a joint press statement copied to the Ghana News AgencyThey comprised the Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association, Health Services Workers Union of Ghana, Medical Laboratory Professional Workers' Union, Mortuary Workers' Association of Ghana, Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anesthetists, Health Accounting Staff Association and Ghana Physician Assistants Association.Accordi ng to the statement, it was imperative that the Government acted now, without delay, to safeguard the future of the country, since the survival of forests, water bodies, and ecosystems was directly linked to the survival of people.'As health professionals, we are duty-bound to advocate for the health and safety of the public. We therefore urge the President of the Republic of Ghana ot take these necessary and urgent actions to halt the Galamsey menace which threatens the future and the very survival of this country,' he added.The group asked all political parties to make a public declaration and publish a duly signed document on their commitment to fight illegal and unethical mining activities in the country.Source: Ghana News Agency