A GNA Feature by Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Oct. 3, GNA – It was 12 o’clock pm, in Bejing, China, when the Professor asked the class to go for two-hour break.
So, I quickly took my lunch and decided to walk along Haoyunjie (the Lucky Street) to discover Beijing. Here, I was amazed at the number of bicycles parked along the streets.
I got to know that bicycles were an integral part of the transportation system, but with a dedicated lane.
I, also, observed the warmed reception of the Chinese people on the streets.
At the end of the walk on the Lucky Street, I saw a very huge water body developed into a recreational facility and that brought my mind back home, Ghana, to our Pra River.
Around the waterbody is one of the biggest mall “Solana”. Here a dress could cost close to 7, 000 yuan.
Here people have a place to sit, eat, watch outdoor movies, stroll and converse to release stress and freshen up.
I learnt that China is characterised by extensive rivers, lakes, and canals that serve significant roles in recreation and transportation, contrasting sharply with the situation in Ghana where illegal mining, sand winning and stone quarry activities severely damage water bodies.
In China, famous waterways like the Yangtze River, Yellow River, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal support both vibrant recreational tourism-such as river cruises and critical transport functions, facilitating local economies and cultural experiences.
With these water bodies, you will not need anybody to tell you that these water bodies are well-managed and integrated into the country’s infrastructure, contributing positively to social and economic activities.
In Ghana, however, illegal mining (widely known as “galamsey”) detrimentally affects water bodies: Pra, Ankobra, among others by contaminating rivers and lakes with hazardous chemicals like mercury and cyanide, which leads to water pollution, biodiversity loss, and public health risks.
This pollution disrupts aquatic ecosystems and impairs water supplies, with reports indicating a drastic reduction in clean water availability for communities, highlighting the environmental crisis caused by unregulated mining in Ghana.
Law enforcement
In China, you see gardeners, uprooting and planting varieties of flower trees along the rivers, practice that can be replicated.
Ghana has been intensifying law enforcement efforts by reclaiming forest reserves, tightening mining regulations, and deploying military support to combat illegal mining syndicates.
These efforts include seizure of mining equipment and mobilisation of multi-agency strategies to restore damaged environments and protect water bodies.
Communities must be willing to support environmental protection in Ghana.
Nina, my course assistant, said: “We have been oriented to keep our environment clean; we don’t throw rubbish anyhow and that is why we have bins all over for any kind of waste.”
In Ghana, the willingness to do the right thing can be harnessed to strengthen conservation efforts. This highlights the importance of involving local communities, District Assemblies as partners in preserving water bodies and enforcing laws against illegal mining.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/Benjamin Mensah