Illegal mining increasing kidney, liver diseases – Deputy Information Minister

Kidney and liver diseases are on the rise in some parts of the country due to illegal mining (galamsey), Deputy Minister for Information, Madam Fatimatu Abubakar. Madam Abubakar, who said this during a radio interview in Accra on Tuesday, stated that the illegal small-scale mining in some parts of the country was having an alarming effect on the environment and consequently humans. She stressed that swift action coupled with intelligence and intention is needed to fight this galamsey menace, adding that “We have a lot of kidney and liver diseases as a result of this illegal mining.” She echoed the government’s determination to nip the illegal act in the bud. “We cannot move the whole military into the mining areas. We need to solve this problem. There is so much that we need to do and I can say that the president is committed to fighting it. “We need a proactive response and not a response to response,” she indicated.