Graduate researcher at the Center for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies at the University of Ghana, Mrs. Gifty Owusu has called for the participation of students in the advocacy against illegal mining.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with UniversNews, Mrs Owusu spoke on some of the effects of the mining practice on communities in Ghana.
“Although there is an impact that mining communities or these mineral resources have on the economy, most of the relevant aspects that we intend or we’d rather forget to talk about is how it impacts the ecological environment as well as our biodiversity and ecosystem services. You realize that the impact of mining is leaving scars on the community. It is also very devastating to know and to see how almost all water bodies have been dried up as a result of mining activities in these areas.”
Mrs. Owusu also spoke on the role of students in raising awareness against illegal mining.
She was emphatic on the impact students have on the public to educate them on the protection of the environment.
“So I believe that in as much as students are taking project work and then trying to advocate for environmental awareness, this is also a space that majority of university students can at least take project works in and then also try to educate people, most especially how to mine sustainably. So I believe that students and then even people can all form parts of this advocacy and try to be at the forefront by fighting for environmental integrity and then also protecting the environment.”
Mrs. Owusu further highlighted the need for students from various disciplines to collaborate effectively in order to spearhead change in the protection of the environment from the effects of some mining practices.
“Yeah, so I believe that students from various disciplines such as environmental science, engineering, or policy studies can collaborate to address the environmental challenges posed by mining activities. So this is a challenge that demands a very holistic approach in tackling it. I believe that when the students from various disciplines come together, they can come up with some innovative, efficient and effective ways to addressing some of these challenges.”
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Story by | Brian Bebli-Dussey | univers.ug.edu.gh
