‘We’re concerned about criminals’ livelihoods, not farmers’ - Awula Serwah on galamsey fight

The following terms and conditions apply if you want to submit content (articles, photos, adverts, etc.) to GhanaWeb: - You are only allowed to submit content which you have created yourself. - You are not allowed to upload photos from another person pretending it is you. - No nudity, pornography and any unlawful content is permitted. - You grant GhanaWeb the right to publish and use your content. - You allow GhanaWeb to communicate with you using the info you provide. - GhanaWeb reserves the right to reject/remove your content without explanation. Do you accept the terms? No, I reject the terms for becoming a GhanaWeb member.Yes, I accept the terms for becoming a GhanaWeb member. - By continuing, you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy Self Service Advert Sitemap Partners About Us Home - News Election 2024 TWI News \| TV Polls Press Release News Blogs News Archive Crime & Punishment Politics Regional Editorial Health Ghanaians Abroad Tabloid Africa Religion Coronavirus News Videos \| TV Photo Archives News Headlines Cartoons Year In Review Eyes On The Ground \| TV The Untold \| TV People & Places \| TV The Lowdown \| TV Say It Loud \| TV You are here: Home → News → 2026 10 10 → Article 2056097 General News of Saturday, 10 October 2026 ‘We’re concerned about criminals’ livelihoods, not farmers’ - Awula Serwah on galamsey fight Awula Serwah is Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has questioned the emphasis on protecting the livelihoods of illegal miners while, in her view, insufficient attention is paid to farmers and fishermen affected by environmental degradation caused by illegal mining. Speaking on Starr FM, she criticised what she described as a lack of concern for the economic hardships faced by communities whose livelihoods are threatened by the destruction of the environment. “We’re concerned about the livelihood of the criminals, but we’re not concerned about the livelihood of the peasant farmers. We’re not concerned about the livelihood of the fishermen. We’re not concerned about Ghanaians being poisoned,” she said. Her comments form part of broader concerns about the environmental and public health implications of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, in Ghana. Awula Serwah warned that the consequences of illegal mining extend beyond the areas where mining activities take place, potentially affecting water resources, food sources and communities that depend on agriculture and fishing for their livelihoods. “When you go to the market, do you know where the food is coming from? It could be coming from the galamsey area,” she said. She also raised concerns about the potential contamination of water bodies by chemicals used in illegal gold mining, including cyanide and mercury, cautioning that the resulting environmental pollution could pose risks to public health. “When you’re in Accra and the water is coming through your taps, do you know there’s cyanide in it? Because they don’t announce themselves. They are colourless,” she stated. This article has 7 comment(s), give your comment \\ Ali Jarrah, Baba Yara, Robert Mensah: Ghanaian footballers whose careers were cut short by tragedy \\ KMA enforces approved transport fares in Kumasi \\ Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr on making history at her NFL half-time show \\ Drone strike by Sudan paramilitary kills 41 near Ethiopian border, rights group says \\ Curing monetisation or killing democracy? Inside the NPP’s new candidate strategy Source: GhanaWeb (https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/We-re-concerned-about-criminals-livelihoods-not-farmers-Awula-Serwah-on-galamsey-fight-2056097)