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

According to report by Ghanaweb on Saturday 10, October 2026, the ongoing national discourse surrounding illegal mining widely known as galamsey in Ghana has taken a sharp turn toward public accountability. Awula Serwah, the Executive Director of Eco-Conscious Citizens, has boldly challenged the skewed public sympathy often extended to illegal miners at the profound expense of innocent agrarian and fishing communities.

Speaking during a revealing interview on Starr FM, Serwah expressed deep frustration over what she perceives as a systemic neglect of traditional food producers whose livelihoods are steadily destroyed by environmental degradation.

“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,” Serwah articulated passionately.

Her critique highlights a dangerous paradox in contemporary advocacy, where societal empathy is frequently misallocated to individuals engaging in illicit activities, while hardworking farmers and fishermen watch their ecosystems collapse. Serwah emphasized that the devastating impacts of galamsey transcend localized mining sites, actively threatening national food security and public health. She raised alarming questions about everyday consumer habits, pointing out that produce brought into local markets may unknowingly originate from heavily contaminated galamsey zones.

Furthermore, the environmental activist issued a stern warning regarding the chemical poisoning of water bodies by hazardous substances like mercury and cyanide utilized in illegal gold extraction. Bringing the threat directly to urban doorsteps, she noted the invisible and insidious nature of these toxins. Posing a chilling rhetorical question to residents in urban centers like Accra, Serwah stated: “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”.

Ultimately, Serwah’s powerful remarks serve as an urgent clarion call for policymakers, media outlets, and the general public to refocus their attention on safeguarding vulnerable food providers and protecting the fundamental right of all citizens to clean water and safe, untainted food.

Mrs.Juliana feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com