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Rocky Dawuni Speaks Out Against Galamsey’s Devastating Effects, Says ‘It’s Such a Curse’
Illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey,” has become one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental issues. Over the years, several celebrities, influencers, private organizations, and even some government officials have strongly condemned this practice.
Galamsey is notorious for devastating the country’s natural resources, particularly water bodies and forests, which are vital for sustaining life. As the damage escalates, prominent figures in Ghana have raised their voices, urging for immediate action to save the environment and preserve future livelihoods.
Seasoned Ghanaian reggae musician and United Nations Ambassador Rocky Dawuni, has made an impassioned appeal to Ghanaians to confront the galamsey crisis head-on.
In an interview with Hitz FM’s Andy Dosty on Thursday, September 12, 2024, the Grammy-nominated artist expressed his deep worry about how illegal mining is wreaking havoc on Ghana’s water sources and ecosystems.
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“Imagine the value of water, and we are destroying all our water bodies because of an immediate acquisition of wealth. It is such a curse, and we need to rise up as a people and make sure that we focus on this galamsey,” he stated.
The Celebrated crooner went on to emphasize the global attention this issue is drawing, explaining that people often approach him at international conferences to inquire about the situation in Ghana.
“It’s crazy because as an ambassador for the environment, for the United Nations, for Africa, you can imagine I go to all these conferences, and people just walk up to me from different countries and ask, ‘What is going on?’ And I tell them, ‘I don’t know’. I have no words to explain,” he added, illustrating the widespread concern over the country’s environmental degradation.
The reggae star urged the public to consider the long-term health and environmental consequences of galamsey, warning of the irreversible harm it could cause.
“So to all my people, let’s stand up and stop this because it’s robbing our future. It’s destroying our livelihood. It’s putting cyanide, mercury, all these heavy metals into our food chain, and then all of that is going into our waterways,” Dawuni cautioned.
He stressed the direct connection between polluted rivers and public health, asking Ghanaians to imagine consuming water contaminated with toxic substances from illegal mining activities. “We are connected to the rivers ourselves. We are part of this whole network of life,” he remarked, urging people to take action before it is too late.
Rocky Dawuni’s appeal adds to the growing chorus of influential voices calling for swift measures to combat the destruction caused by galamsey.