Human rights organisation Challenging Heights is urging the Government of Ghana to fully implement the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development (RCOMSDE) program, in honour of the eight lives lost in Wednesday’s tragic Ghana Air Force helicopter crash near Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.
Among the victims were Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Defence, and Alhaji Dr. Murtala Muhammed, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. The delegation was en route to launch the RCOMSDE initiative, an ambitious national strategy to combat illegal mining and its devastating consequences.
In a statement signed by James Kofi Annan, President of Challenging Heights, the organization described the crash as a heartbreaking loss for Ghana but also a clarion call for urgent action.
“Let the RCOMSDE program become not just a policy, but a national legacy. Let it be the living memory of those who perished—and the hope of our children,” the statement urged.
Illegal Mining: A Threat to Children, Communities, and the Environment
Challenging Heights highlighted that the human cost of illegal mining extends far beyond environmental destruction. In affected communities, children endure grueling labor, exposure to toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide, and chronic health issues such as respiratory diseases, mercury poisoning, and long-term disabilities. Many are denied education, perpetuating cycles of poverty and exploitation.
Just last week, Challenging Heights, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, rescued 25 Nigerian girls who had been trafficked and forced into prostitution at an illegal mining site in the Western Region. Earlier this year, eight illegal miners died in a standoff with the military in Obuasi. The organisation continues to support the affected families and children left behind.
Meanwhile, major water bodies such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim rivers are being poisoned with hazardous chemicals, posing a grave threat to public health and national water security.
A Call for Immediate and Comprehensive Action
Challenging Heights called on the government to urgently implement a multifaceted national response through the RCOMSDE program, including:
- Strengthening law enforcement and prosecution of child labor and trafficking in illegal mining.
- Expanding access to quality education in mining-affected areas.
- Enhancing social protection programs to prevent vulnerable families from turning to illegal mining.
- Providing medical, psychological, and educational support for rescued children.
- Tackling the economic root causes that drive families and youth into illegal mining.
“We cannot in good conscience continue to look away as this destructive practice consumes our land, our water, and our children’s future,” the statement emphasized.
Challenging Heights concluded with a passionate appeal:
“Let the memory of the departed ministers and their team become the fuel for intensified, unwavering national resolve. Let us stand united to protect our children, our environment, and our future.”
By Peter Quao Adattor
