Renowned Herbal Medicine practitioner, Dr. Ebenezer Agyemang has cautioned the government of Ghana about the dangers of using reclaimed galamsey lands for planting food crops.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 reporter, Dr Agyemang said cultivating coc onut, palm trees, and other food crops on these sites will be detrimental to Ghana’s health.
He disclosed that research has shown that food crops and others planted on reclaimed illegal mining sites are not fit for human consumption.
“I first heard from the MP who claimed they are reclaiming mining sites, which is a positive move, but what shocked me was the MP saying they will use the reclaimed lands to cultivate coconut and palm trees.
“Initially, I thought it was a passing comment until I heard the President echoing the same move, a decision that sent shivers down my spine,” Dr. Agyemang said.
Dr Agyemang appealed to the academia close to the President to direct him to research documents, including a study by the Crop Research Institute and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) some 15 years ago, touching on the risks of cultivating food crops on reclaimed galamsey lands.
He supported the idea of reclamation of galamsey sites but kicked against planting food crops on it.
By Benjamin Aidoo
