Galamsey turning Ghana’s rivers into ‘chocolate milk’ – Sir Sam Jonah

Chancellor Sir Sam Jonah of the University of Cape Coast has criticized the detrimental effects of illegal mining on Ghana's environment and economy. At the university's 25th anniversary conference, he highlighted the pollution of water bodies, known as galamsey, which has transformed rivers into a "chocolate milk" color. This environmental issue extends to economic and health concerns, as well as moral implications.

Jonah emphasized that galamsey is a failure of stewardship, driven by personal gain over environmental preservation and future generations' well-being. He stressed the need for sustainability, starting with addressing illegal mining and safeguarding natural resources.

Beyond environmental impacts, Jonah warned Africa against repeating historical gold trade blunders when AI advances the global economy. Drawing from his mining background, he cautioned Africa from becoming a supplier of raw materials while importing finished goods at higher costs. He also cautioned that Africa could become reliant on foreign AI technologies, exporting data and paying for tools developed elsewhere.

Jonah urged African nations to invest in local technology development and capacity-building to create solutions tailored to their needs, rather than solely importing innovations. He cited mobile money as proof of Africa's ability to innovate, emphasizing that solutions addressing local community needs can thrive when innovators focus on specific challenges.

Jonah called on entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers to follow this model in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, logistics, and finance, where locally developed technologies can solve pressing issues and generate economic value.