Goaso — The activities of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, must be completely halted in the country to safeguard lands, water bodies and forests, Mr Collins Oppong - Kyekyeku, a United Kingdom-based Ghanaian environmentalist, has stated.

Mr Oppong-Kyekyeku said though the government over the years had banned galamsey, people were still mining illegally in some forest reserves and river banks in the country.

He was speaking in an exclusive interview with the Ghanaian Times on Friday at Goaso, the Ahafo Regional capital, on the impact of illegal mining on the environment.

The Environmentalist lamented about how some recalcitrant persons, including foreign nationals, had defied the instructions of the government and still engaged in illegal mining.

Mr Oppong - Kyekyeku noted that cocoa and other cash crops, farms, serene water bodies, natural forests which contained animal life and other species of plants and herbs had been destroyed by galamsey.

He implored the government to declare an urgent state of emergency on all rivers and water bodies to become prohibited zones in the country, saying that fishes and other aquatic lives must be saved from total destruction.

Mr Oppong-Kyekyeku added that the cost of treating polluted water to become potable, according to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), had shot up drastically due to galamsey.

"The menace of galamsey has dire consequences on social, economic and environmental development of the country. Let us all come together to remedy the situation amicably, "he said.

The Environmentalist entreated all constitutionally mandated ministries and institutions to effectively manage, control and prevent illegal mining to end the menace.

He stressed that the extent of destruction caused by galamsey in the country was unbearable, adding that it should not take the presidency over six years in government to completely stop galamsey.

Mr Oppong-Kyekyeku appealed to the various traditional rulers in the country to collaborate with the Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Municipal and District assemblies to protect the environment.

"Ghana is the only country we have. If we destroy the natural resources today for our selfish interest, posterity will blame us. Let us all contribute our part to make the country great and strong," he stated.