Dr Zanetor warns against sacrificing Ghana’s future for gold

The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has cautioned against prioritising gold extraction over environmental protection, warning that continued destruction of natural resources could undermine the future of generations to come.

She said the pursuit of short-term economic gains through illegal mining must not be allowed to destroy the water bodies, farmlands and soil on which human survival depends.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings raised the concern following a field visit to illegal mining sites in Osino, facilitated by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

She questioned the value of gold if mining activities left communities with polluted rivers, unproductive farmlands and an environment incapable of sustaining future generations.

“Our natural resources are finite. Once destroyed, some may take generations to recover, while others may never be restored. We cannot continue to sacrifice our collective future for short-term gains,” she said in a Facebook post after a field visit to illegal mining sites in Osino, facilitated by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

She warned that environmental degradation extended beyond mining sites, affecting drinking water, food production, public health and livelihoods.

The minister stressed that the protection of natural resources was a shared responsibility that required accountability, difficult decisions and a change in public attitudes towards the environment.

“Protecting our environment is not simply a responsibility of government or regulatory institutions. It is a collective duty that requires difficult decisions, accountability, and a fundamental change in our attitudes towards the resources with which we have been entrusted,” she stated.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings added that the country must recognise the limits of its natural resources and safeguard them against activities that threaten their long-term sustainability.

“We cannot eat gold. We cannot drink gold. And no amount of wealth can replace our environment,” she said.