The Association of Health Service Administrators of Ghana (AHSAG) has urged President John Mahama to immediately ban all small-scale mining operations, citing their devastating impact on the country’s water bodies and environment, whether legal or illegal.
The call was made by AHSAG’s National President, Rev. Ezekiel Amadu Daribi, during the 48th Annual Conference & Continuing Professional Education Programme held in Cape Coast.
He expressed deep concern over the increasing destruction of Ghana’s water bodies, which poses serious health and environmental risks.
Rev. Daribi urged the government to take swift action to mitigate the effects of small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey, and to protect the nation’s vital water resources.
Participants in the conference included 16 regional administrators, medical doctors, and chiefs, among others.
“We’re appealing to the government on how things are going; our rivers have been destroyed. And also the consequences have become worse.
“So, the Health Service Administrators Group of Ghana is on our knees appealing to the president and leaders in the country to help put things in place to bring this situation to an end,” he pleaded.
Dr. Mrs. Alberta Adjebeng Biritwum-Nyarko, representing the Central Regional Health Directorate, emphasised the importance of internal resource mobilisation for infrastructure and equipment management.
She urged hospital administrators to explore ways to generate internal revenue to maintain medical equipment, as many pieces in government hospitals are currently non-functional due to a lack of monitoring.
