President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Frank Serebour, has revealed that the joint press statement released by the association on the effects of galamsey (illegal mining) is only the beginning of their campaign.
The Ghana Medical Association, several other health unions and associations have urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately ban all small-scale mining operations, whether legal or illegal.
This call comes in response to the increasing destruction of the country’s forest reserves and water bodies, along with the serious public health and environmental threats posed by individuals and organizations involved in illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
During an interview with Prof S.F Gyasi on Bresosem at Abusuafm, Dr. Serebour hinted that in the coming weeks, the GMA will hold press conferences to outline specific measures they plan to take if the government does not ban small-scale mining.
He said “There are a series of things we’ve planned to do. We felt it was important to start on this note by releasing a statement advising that this is how we’re going to proceed”
“But this is probably the softest approach. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, we’ll hold press conferences where we will outline exactly the measures we want to take.”
Dr Serebour acknowledged that the association is faced with a unique challenge, as the issue of galamsey affects not only healthcare workers but the entire population.
“The biggest challenge we have is that this issue affects not just us directly, but everyone in Ghana. Unlike our usual grievances related to our conditions of service, we’re fighting for the entire nation. So, if you say you won’t work tomorrow because of this, who will be affected?”
He then added “We’ve thought about all these factors, but do we have any other way to draw attention to the fact that we strongly disagree with what’s happening? We’re examining all these dynamics, and I’m sure we’ll find a suitable balance”.
Dr. Serebour noted that the diversity of opinions within the unions has led to extensive editing of their statement, but he is confident that they will find a effective way to address the issue.
He indicated “All the unions in the health sector are involved. If I told you the number of edits that went into this statement, you wouldn’t believe it – it was crazy! Because you’re looking in this direction, and another union is looking in a different direction, our diverse perspectives will likely lead to a fine balance”
He continued “This balance will allow us to embark on a journey that will be more effective, minimize the impact on our people, and draw attention to the ongoing issues”.
www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
