Opinions of Sunday, 18 April 2021

Columnist: Tony Odonkor

Killing nature

Excavator destroying the forest for mining Excavator destroying the forest for mining

There are a few things that are difficult to understand. One being estate companies trying to take over every space on earth to create ‘beautiful’ concrete jungles and the other being small (and medium) scale mining, better known in the local parlance as ‘Galamsey’.

Galamsey does not only destroy the land and our forest but also water bodies and their inhabitants. Many sources of water available for citizens are destroyed and Ghana Water Company as it is, spends a lot of money to treat water to make it consumable for its consumers.

Soon, water would be scarce and the most expensive commodity in the country (if it isn’t already). Our forest covers are vanishing and our water bodies are also polluted.

In our haste to create habitats, we destroy all the available arable land. Humans, in his insatiable greed for wealth, foolishly destroys nature. Humans have become this big monster that devours everything in his path – floral and fauna, plants and water resources.

These, ironically, are the very resources that humans need for his very survival. Humans are going on a foray to destroy all that nature bestowed on him to protect.

Even though concrete jungles are beautiful, their beauty cannot be compared to that of nature. What becomes of beauty when the stomach is empty. When food, which is said to be the basic need of the human being is not available. Humankind, would of course, go extinct.

The chemicals that are used in the mining processes, has a dire effect on humankind. These chemicals are not biodegradable and therefore would have future generations suffer the consequences of our current actions and/or inactions.

Unfortunately, state institutions seem to either be sleeping or in bed with the culprits. The politician is either also in cahoots with the perpetrators or is directly involved in the destruction of the environment. There is just not the political will to curb this menace. Only lip service so far.

Wealth is good, but wait till the last animal dies, the last fish vanishes and the last plant dies. There, we would all understand that it is worthless to hold cash or any valuable metal as a store of value or legal tender. It is then we would all realize that money is valueless without commodities.

Money is good, but without goods and services, it’s just dust or paper. This world is not for just this generation, it is for future generations as well. It is our duty to protect it.