Renowned Ghanaian actress Nadia Buari has added her voice to the growing calls for government action against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey. In a passionate post on her X page on September 27, 2024, Buari expressed deep concern over the devastating impact of galamsey on Ghana’s environment and future.
“It’s really, really sad that our today’s hunger is making us not think about what will preserve us tomorrow,” Buari lamented, highlighting the short-sightedness driven by current hardships ¹. She also pointed out the shift in blame from historical colonial exploitation to contemporary self-inflicted harm, asking, “In the past, we accused the white man for ripping off the black, now that it’s black destroying the future of blacks, whom do we blame?”
Buari urged all Ghanaians to unite against the greed driving illegal mining, emphasizing the importance of public education in combating galamsey. “Stopping this, I believe, begins with public education to raise awareness of this dangerous pursuit. Our children must not only be taught about Ghana being a leading producer of gold in the world, but also the danger in abusing our land for such treasure,” she said.
The actress also called on her colleagues in the movie industry to use their platforms to inform the public about the dangers of galamsey. “We those in the movie industry must not just seek to entertain, but also perform to inform our viewers of the danger of this galamsey menace engulfing us all,” Buari stated.
Regarding the recent Democracy Hub demonstration and arrests, Buari condemned the detentions, asserting that protesters were exercising their legal rights. “Nobody exercising his or her right to protest against this wrong has done anything against the law to be arrested or detained for any reason.”
In a related call to action, Ghanaian musician Okyeame Kwame has also urged President Akufo-Addo to fulfill his promise to stop galamsey ¹. Kwame questioned the president’s inaction, asking, “Does he fear we wouldn’t vote for Bawumia?” and called for immediate action to address the menace.
