Awula Serwah, Coordinator for the Eco-Conscious Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called on Ghanaians to take a more active interest in combating the pollution of the country’s water bodies and forest reserves.

Speaking on Class FM’s Morning Show on Tuesday, 23 July 2024, she highlighted the severe health risks and environmental degradation resulting from ongoing pollution.

The Eco-Conscious Coordinator emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting that neglecting the pollution issue could lead to dire health consequences such as kidney and respiratory problems, necessitating treatments like dialysis.

“It will be fruitless to think we can enjoy our lives when so much pollution has gone on, and we end up having to go through dialysis due to the health implications,” she stated.

She urged Ghanaians to express their outrage towards environmental poisoning, believing it would prompt authorities to take necessary actions.

“If we show the same anger towards our poisoning maybe the authorities will think that enough is enough, let’s start cleaning up, let’s stop poisoning the environment,” she said.

The Eco-Conscious Coordinator expressed concern over the lack of seriousness among Ghanaians regarding pollution.

She cited the rise in kidney disease, maternal deaths, and birth defects in areas affected by illegal mining (galamsey) as clear evidence of the health crisis.

“It doesn’t look like Ghanaians are taking it seriously, that we’re literally being poisoned,” she warned, adding: “First of all, dialysis is very uncomfortable, very expensive, and you don’t want that, we don’t want that.”

Highlighting the imminent danger, the coordinator of Eco-Conscious criticised the authorities' inaction and their focus on declassifying forest reserves for personal gain.

 “We face a clear and present danger and our authorities, it seems to me, they’re blinded. All they can think of is declassifying Achimota forest, looking for prime lands so that they can be captured for friends and family. This behaviour has to stop.

She urged the public to take a more active role in environmental protection, stating: “It is extremely pointless to have a good salary, work hard, yet die of kidney failure or respiratory illness due to air pollution.”

The Eco Conscious co-ordinator said: “We’re interfering with the environment by our own actions. Let’s stop the poisoning of our landscape and our water bodies.”

“First of all, by not taking robust actions against illegal miners, by not dealing with well-placed persons who have been involved in it, specifically, I’m referring to Akonta mining who are alleged to have destroyed parts of the Tano Nimiri forest reserve...,” she noted, adding that no action has been taken.

She added: “The pollution of our environment is going on with impunity, somebody has to be held accountable but I think that is because Ghanaians are not angry enough, we’re not angry enough.”