Once upon a time, Ghana stood tall among nations, a land where sparkling rivers and rich mineral reserves flowed with abundance. Our ancestors toiled under the sun, safeguarding these natural treasures with the hope that their sweat would pave the way for a future brimming with promise. They left us a legacy, one written not in words but in the wealth beneath our feet and the purity of our waters. But today, that legacy lies on the brink of destruction.
The bitter truth of our times is this: the land once hailed as the “Gold Coast” is now marred by the scourge of illegal mining, or ‘galamsey’. It is not just a threat; it is a silent devastation, slowly eating away the generational reserves that were meant to sustain not just us, but generations unborn. Where lush landscapes once thrived, toxic pits now fester. Our rivers, once clear and teeming with life, run brown like a tea and lifeless.
What have we done? What are we allowing to happen to the country we hold so dear?
Ghana, a proud democratic nation, stands at a crossroads. Our leaders speak of democracy, yet one has to ask—are we truly living in a system that represents the will of the people? Can we call it democracy when the voices of citizens, raised in anguish over the ruin of our natural heritage, are silenced? When they march in peaceful protest, pleading for preserving our water bodies, they are met not with empathy but with chains. Arrested, prosecuted, and stifled for daring to ask for better.
Independence was won in 1957 with hope and pride, but as we stand today, what can the ordinary Ghanaian point to with pride? What remains of the wealth that was supposed to propel us forward? Many of our youth now flee the land of their birth, seeking greener pastures elsewhere because the very soil beneath them can no longer support their dreams.
Our rivers weep, our land groans and our people cry out. Yet, it seems politics and personal interest are allowed to dictate the fate of a nation’s legacy. What will we hand over to our children if we continue on this path? Will they inherit poisoned lands, barren of minerals, with only tales of what once was?
Ghana deserves better. We deserve better. And our future generations deserve far more than the devastation we passively hand them. We cannot allow politics to mask the truth any longer. Now is the time to stand up, join hands, and push for the survival of our natural resources. For without them, what is left of the Ghana we cherish?
Better late than never. We must act now. We must demand accountability, push for stricter enforcement against Galamsey, and restore what has been destroyed. Let us be the generation that refuses to sit idle while our homeland crumbles.
The rivers that once gave life are waiting for us to act. Will we answer their call, or will we continue to watch them die?
Miss Salome Kwaw
