Introduction:

Ecocide, though not part of the English vocabulary, was coined by the Eminent Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson in his keynote address delivered on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at the ‘Ghana Speaks –High-Level Forum 2024’ at the Kempinski Hotel.

He explained that the word ‘ecocide’ was a derivation from two words, ecology and genocide, and that, the current practice of illegal mining (galamsey) is a form of genocide being perpetuated on the environment by those engaged in the illegal mining activities.

To him, the destruction of the forest reserves coupled with the harmful chemicals involved in these operations in the river bodies which are polluting them is synonymous with genocide being committed against the living and future generations as well as the ecology or environment. This forum was organized by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) with the theme, “Advancing Peace, Unity and National Cohesion in Ghana ‘.

Given such activities resulting in the destruction of the environment which can result in the effects of human-caused climate change, leading to a Swedish lady, Greta Thunberg challenging world leaders to take immediate action to mitigate such activities. All these led to a group he is leading to send a memorandum to the United Nations for adoption so that, people found in actions that are seen as harmful to the environment can be arrested and prosecuted.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) refers to “Environmental justice” as a “fair and inclusive engagement in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental legislation at national and international levels” (Gender and the Environment: Building Evidence and Policies to Achieve the SDGs-OECDn2021, p.110).

Group Actions:

So, this was not a platform for the discussion of traditional or herbal medicine practices in the country however, for some time now, the activities of illegal miners have become topical with several groups calling for a total ban with organized labor threatening to embark on strike action.

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has already embarked on a strike to draw the government’s attention to take action on calls from civil society groups for a total ban on these activities. The Catholic Bishops Conference embarked on a peaceful march on Friday, October 11, 2024, adding their voices to the many calls by the majority of Ghanaians for the government to curb this menace confronting the nation. It is the first time Catholic priests in Ghana have engaged in such a demonstration to make a point.

From the theme of the forum, one can clearly understand that this was more on the political climate in the country due to the upcoming general election on December 7, 2024, but for the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC), this ecological degradation by these illegal miners is very worrisome. A chunk of its stakeholders depend on the natural habitats where they harvest the medicinal plants from which they derive the active ingredients for the preparation of herbal medicines consumed by those who patronize their services. And this is a very worrying situation.

The TMPC:

It is one of the 26 agencies of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and was established by an Act of Parliament, Traditional Medicine Practice Act 2000 (Act 575), to promote, regulate, and control traditional medicine practice in Ghana. Furthermore, the Council, by Ministerial directive, regulates alternative/complementary medicine practices in the Country. The Council regulates these practices by registering and certifing the practitioner, and licenses the premises or facility from which the practitioner operates.

Section (2) of the TMP Act 2000, (Act 575) talks about the objects and functions of the Council, and sub-section (2) (h) states that the Council shall “Collaborate with appropriate agencies for large scale cultivation of medicinal plants and the preservation of biodiversity”. But with the level of degradation of the forests, will the Council be able to achieve this provision of its Act?

As a traditionalist who values water bodies and forests, this menace weighs heavily on my conscience anytime I see a polluted river or degraded forest. The forests are precious to us due to the sereneness some of them exude when one is inside. It serves as a sanctuary for meditation with some of the deities located in there. Likewise, the rivers, where some deities dwell and during festivals, some of these rivers are used in the cleansing of some stools. So, as much as the living are being affected so are the deities whose stools rely on these rivers for cleansing.

TM Week Celebration:

This year’s celebration marked the twenty-fifth (25) anniversary of establishing the traditional medicine week set aside to celebrate practitioners in the traditional and herbal medicine industry.  Generally, the occasion is used to assess progress made in the practice, and the way forward, and also to exhibit herbal medicines from Ghana and other African countries. This year’s celebration was under the theme, “Support the Provision of Quality and Safe Traditional Medicine Through Appropriate Regulatory Mechanisms”.

It is significant to note that, the Traditional Medicine Week Celebrations was instituted to celebrate Ghanaian practitioners in 1999 however, due to its importance and by way of acknowledging the efforts being made by practitioners and manufacturers to provide quality indigenous healthcare and the manufacturing of herbal based medicine for the public in Ghana and beyond, the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are all assisting in the celebration of this event.

Recognizing the successes, they have achieved over the years, the African Traditional Medicine Day was introduced and fused into the TM Week Celebrations 3 years later to as well acknowledge all practitioners and manufacturers on the African Continent.

Effects of Illegal Mining (galamsey):

The effects of illegal mining or galamsey is multi-dimensional. According to Aboka et.al (2018), data they reviewed for the article “Review of Environmental and Health Impacts of Mining in Ghana “, consisted of data of impact on the “environmental and health impacts of mining such as pollution of water bodies, degradation of forest resources, depletion of soil nutrients, destruction of wildlife habitats and reduction in quality and threats to human health”.  The impact on all these variables impacts strongly on the availability and accessibility of the medicinal plants used in herbal medicine preparations by traditional medicine practitioners.

While the degradation of the forests may lead to deforestation and desertification, it may also lead to the loss of some of the rare medicinal plant species, as well as certain rare animals whose parts are essential in the preparation of some herbal medicines for the cure of certain disease conditions. The pollution of water bodies in Ghana by the activities of these galamseyers, have led to birth deformities in some communities in Ghana. The pollution of water bodies can further lead to the contamination of major rivers which most of the population depend on for drinking water with the danger of contaminating some of these medicinal plants. The loss of essential nutrients in the soil that will nurture the plants may result in these plants not maturing to produce its potent ingredients as it should. The wildlife who may assist in the revegetation of the forests will also go extinct.

Regardless of all the calls from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Labor groups, the Clergy and other eminent individuals on government to take steps at curbing this menace before it gets out of hand, some government functionaries have been heard calling the bluff of all these groups. Some excuses being bandied are that, when the government embarked on actions to stop these illegal activities before the 2020 elections, it lost most of its parliamentary sits in these areas.

Furthermore, in a YouTube post on October 4, 2024, the National Women Organizer of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) Madam Kate Gyamfua was heard reiterating in Twi that, before 2020 when the president of the Republic, Nana Akuffo Addo placed his presidency on the line to eliminate the illegal mining, the party lost all constituencies in the mining areas except Tarkwa so for her, she would suggest that the fight against galamsey should be kept on hold till after the 2024 general elections. This was an interview on Adom TV.

Call to Action:

With all the devastating effects of galamsey, its elimination need to be a national priority. Many are those who are calling on government to employ any legal force available to stop these activities due its effects and the impact it is having on human beings. There are reports of children being born with deformities and all these have been traced to chemicals used in the galamsey activities.

As much as others are of the view that, government’s attempt to stop these activities will lead to it losing the December 7, 2024 general elections, human lives matter so, the president need to recollect the oath he took on 7^th January 2021 to protect all manner of persons in the country and to defend the Constitution of the Republic Ghana.

Numo Blafo III

Head of Corporate Affairs/Public Relations

Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC)

nublafo3@gmail.com

0542380981