Illegal mining can cause more harm than defects in babies – Environmentalist

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A midwife at Sewum Health Centre in the Western North Region, Madam Gifty Adwoa Adjanor in an interview said heavy chemicals used in illegal mining locally known as “galamsey” in parts of the country were contaminating water bodies and causing babies to be born with major facial defects.

Mr. Okyere Boateng an environmentalist speaking on Radio 1’s ‘Our Land Our Future’ said illegal mining can cause more harm than a defect in babies.

According to Mr. Boateng, mercury could damage parts of the body through the air we breathe, eating and drinking food and water contaminated with it as in the case of galamsey activities.

“Illegal mining can cause more harm. Look at our water bodies a time will come we will have no water in this country we will have to export water to survive, and we will have no land for farming and we will starve, this is how serious illegal mining is getting us to,” he told the host Michael Agyapong Agyapa.

However, Senior Medical Officer of the Holy Child Catholic Hospital in Fijai, Dr Sylvester Fameye said mercury used in illegal mining could damage parts of the body, including the lungs, kidneys and nervous system; the brain, spinal cord and nerves.

“Babies exposed to mercury in the womb can have brain damage, hearing and vision problems,” he said.

Mercury, he said due to illegal Mining was contributing to such defects in new borns.

By: Michael Agyapong Agyapa | Radio1 | Ghana