By Isaac Asare
The lives of anti-Galamsey Crusaders who are bent on protecting the country’s vegetation cover including water bodies are in jeopardy, as their lives are being threatened by some illegal miners who feel they are being robbed of their livelihood. One of these crusaders is Mr Eric Cudjoe.
Sources have it that, Mr Cudjoe on countless occasions managed to survive the wrath of these aggrieved miners. He has been on the radar of these aggrieved miners for being a thorn in their flesh regarding their activities. Due to constant monitoring on their activities by Mr Cudjoe and his associates as a result of their extensive destruction of forest reserves and water bodies, they launched a deadly attempt on his life for leading police officers to their operational areas at the Sanfo Aduam illegal mining site.
Cudjoe’s Account
Narrating the incident to Radio Ghana, Mr Cudjoe who declined to mention his present location maintained that he is duty-bound to protect the environment from selfish individuals who are bent on causing harm to the country’s ecosystem through illegal mining and other harmful activities. “I have waged a relentless war on all the illegal miners in the district, particularly those in the Sanfo Aduam, Kokotro, and Koniyaw Edwenase areas,” he lamented. He recounted that he had some miners prosecuted and jailed, while others had their sites and equipment seized by the state to deter further environmental destruction.
He further explained that a bench warrant from the Bekwai Circuit Court had been secured to arrest these illegal miners who he referred o as nation wreckers. On November 24, 2022, between 9:30 am and 11:00 am, he teamed up with police personnel to enforce the court order at the Sanfo Aduam site, where extensive farmland destruction had occurred.
The Attack
In the course of the swoop, the miners launched a physical attack on the said team, forcing the security personnel to retreat. “When I attempted to run, I nearly fell into a dangerous pit. Some of them chased me, shouting threats to end my life, but I was saved as they stopped pursuing me when I ran into a nearby bush,” Mr. Cudjoe narrated.
Police Report
Mr. Cudjoe reported the incident to the police, emphasizing the imminent danger posed by the miners’ threats. “Unfortunately, the police couldn’t act, so I took it upon myself to protect myself as best as I could. I am living in real danger because their threats cannot be underestimated,” he added.
The fight against illegal mining, known as “galamsey” in Ghana, remains a significant challenge for environmental health officers like Mr. Eric Cudjoe. Mr Cudjoe recalled the tragic death of Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, a young military officer with the Ghana Armed Forces who was brutally assaulted by some community members and killed seven years ago, while leading a 31-member special operation to provide security for C&G Mining Company against illegal miners.
Mr. Cudjoe’s commitment to environmental protection continues despite the risks, highlighting the ongoing struggle against galamsey in Ghana. Stakeholders in the mining value chain are asking government to protect the lives of anti-galamsey crusaders else the fight against illegal mining initially waged by the Ghanaian media will be a mirage.
14 Responses
This is uncalled for. I think as Ghanaians we have lost our sense of pride and patriotism to become nation wreckers. Government and key stakeholders must protect the lives of anti galamsey crusaders and work towards haltinv the practice to safe the ecosystem and biodiversity
The need government support for their protection. They can’t embark on such dangerous mission without the police or military. When the Anti Galamsey task force was introduced, those leading that task were heavily protected and they don’t go to those sites along but with the police and military
Human resource is more important than natural resources. That is why God created mankind in his image and likeness and gave him the right to use the earth with the responsibility to care for it. Galamsey in Ghana has become a national security threat. Our vegetation is seriously in danger and now the lives of anti-galamsey crusaders are on the line of death. It’s clear that we love posterity more than peace.
it’s really pathetic how our own people have decided to destroy our own resources with their selfish interests without thinking about the next generations….and funny enough the security services have also failed to protect we the civilians when we try to patriotic..
they shouldn’t let us think they also have a hand in what’s happening
It’s so sad how our security personnel handles these cases forgetting that if care is not taken, it’s our next generation that would suffer most.
This situation can not be handle with an individual we need the security personnel to help play their roles as well…
It’s really sad. Patriotism verses miscreants
I think stakeholders and the government must protect anti galamsey concerned cos this is very important… And I also believe there should be a way to do this or provision for the work cos I think that is also people’s source of daily bread… But we just find a way to recover our lost habitat
Drastic measures have to taken to stop illegal mining, it is destroying our vegetation and causing many environmental hazards.
Galamsey has caused massive destruction to the country’s environment and it is appropriate that people fighting against the menace should be protected instead of individuals and institutions fighting back their course.
kudos to Me Cudjoe foe his sense of patriotism. God bless wherever you are. Governments must act swiftly in dealing with mistreatment that are bent on destroying the environment.
Galamsey issues are becoming unbecoming
I want to state that it is high time laws in this country are made to work. When that happens nation-wreckers would be used as scape goats. Eventually it will put the fear of God in them.
The fight against Galamsey needs concerted effort. Let us all come together and not allow a few lawless people to destroy our lands and water bodies
Some individuals in the country have just decided to destroy God’s creation. It is sad to note that, the Akyem’s who used to boast of the Birim river anymore. The Akyemkwaa Nana a ɔnom birim appellation has gone on extinction. It is now known as Akyemkwaa Nana a ɔnom Voltic or Awake mineral water. Hmm asem oo