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Friday, the last day of the working week is usually looked forward to as workers wind down the week’s activities. However, last Friday 2nd February 2018 was not a usual day at the East Akim municipal Assembly.
More than 70 people including the municipal chief executive and his staff, traditional leaders, assembly men and women, farmers, district government officials and ordinary citizen’s had gathered for a photo exhibition on an important issue: The devastating effects of small scale mining(galamsey) on food security in the municipality
The effects of small scale mining on Ghana’s forest, environment and water resources in the past ten or so years is a narrative that must not be entertained and yet has continued far too long, and yet without seeing an end in sight, the government in 2016 launched a campaign to address it in a more comprehensive manner. However an aspect of this menace which has not yet come to public attention is its effects on food security.
Food security is not only when there is food available. It’s also about food affordability, the right to food and how is used to meet the body’s needs.
Only recently in 2017, the world food day celebration had the theme “Change the future of migration, invest in food security and rural development” which sought to drive home the importance of food security in human development. This theme is also captured at the highest level of development tracking in the sustainable development goal 2 which seeks “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”.
While Ghana has achieved important improvements in both food security and malnutrition in the past few years, there are still huge inter-regional inequities. For example, in 2015, Ghana was among a few African countries that achieved the MDG target of reducing food insecurity below 5%. However the world food program (WFP) survey in 2012 shows that almost 700000 people in Northern Ghana are moderately or severely food insecure. Sixteen percent of households are food insecure I the Upper East, its almost 30%. The effect of food insecurity is damaging to households and the nation as a whole as it affects productivity. The effect is very clear.
That is why the photo exhibition on food security by the University of Ghana was important. The exhibition demonstrated the adverse effects on food security as it showed images of the effects of mining on the cost of food, access to farmlands, effects of soil fertility, destruction of farm, effects on yield and food safety,.
These images stimulated passionate response from audience who the called on decision makers across all levels to act to address this challenge. The exhibition shows clearly how our roads, water bodies, farmlands and human health is being put at risk by illegal mining commonly known as galamsey.
The assemblyman for Kibi Traditional area lamented that lack of market center at the area is one factor that triggered illegal mining at the area.. It is also possible to address this issue by creating market for farmers to make farming attractive as a livelihood opinion.
“No one would want to continue farming when there are no place to sell our foodstuffs, we would rather prefer to sell our lands out to the miners and invest the money into businesses that farm and have our foodstuffs rotten at the end of the day” he explained.
Mr. Ebenezer from Asiakwa called for the establishment of a training center for the youth in order to create alternative livelihoods and jobs in the in the mining areas as an alternative to mining. Some alternative livelihood enterprises suggestions were rubber plantation, aquaculture etc.
Queen mother of Adadeatem also pleaded to government to set up mining committee to check the activities of mining companies. She was quick to add that government should be able to restore the polluted lands before growing crops on it so as not to grow crops that will affect human health.
It is clear that the exhibition is only the beginning of this discussion. Clear actions are needed to ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security in the affected communities.
By: Radio1 News|Ghana
