The Ghana Chamber for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities (GCED) has issued an urgent advocacy brief highlighting the devastating link between illegal mining, locally known as “galamsey,” and a rising tide of disability within Ghanaian communities.
The GCED warns that while the environmental damage caused by galamsey is widely recognised, the significant impact on public health and disability rights is often overlooked.
The advocacy brief details several key ways in which illegal mining contributes to disability:
• Dangerous Working Conditions: Unregulated mining practices lead to frequent accidents, with collapsing pits and tunnels causing spinal injuries, amputations, and paralysis. Explosions and machinery accidents result in severe burns, blindness, and loss of limbs.
• Toxic Chemical Exposure: The use of mercury and cyanide in gold extraction exposes miners and communities to dangerous toxins, causing damage to the brain, nervous system, and kidneys. The brief notes that children exposed in the womb or through contaminated sources are particularly vulnerable to lifelong disabilities.
• Environmental Destruction: Polluted rivers and soil from mining operations lead to poor nutrition and waterborne diseases, contributing to developmental and physical disabilities. Destroyed farmland also robs families of livelihoods, pushing persons with disabilities further into poverty.
• Violence and Conflict: Clashes between illegal miners, community members, and security agencies often result in gunshot wounds and permanent impairments for survivors.
The GCED emphasises that illegal mining should be treated not only as an environmental crime but also as a pressing public health and disability rights crisis. The organisation is calling for:
• Stricter enforcement of regulations to prevent illegal mining activities.
• Community education programmes to raise awareness about the health risks associated with galamsey.
• Rehabilitation support for individuals and communities affected by mining-related disabilities.
“We must recognise the devastating human cost of illegal mining,” stated Executive Director Alexander Kojo Tetteh. “It is not just about environmental damage; it is about the lives and well-being of our communities, particularly persons with disabilities who are disproportionately affected.”
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com
