The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG) has raised concerns that the country may soon be forced to import water for local pharmaceutical production if the illegal mining crisis, known as “galamsey,” is not urgently addressed.
Speaking at its 2024 annual general meeting, the PSG highlighted the severe impact of illegal mining on the nation’s water bodies, which has significantly increased the cost of treating water for manufacturing purposes. The society noted that the rising cost of water treatment, due to environmental degradation from illegal mining, is contributing to the high cost of medicines in Ghana.
PSG President, Dr. Samuel Kow Donkoh, cautioned that if immediate action is not taken to curb illegal mining activities, Ghana could soon face the reality of importing water to support its local manufacturing industries. He stressed that while local manufacturers currently produce all the infusions needed in the country, access to quality water is essential for this production.
The society is calling on the government to implement stringent measures to combat illegal mining, which is threatening the country’s vital water resources used for various industrial purposes.
“The activities of illegal miners in particular have devastated our water bodies, making it increasingly expensive for pharmaceutical companies to treat water for their manufacturing processes. Ghana currently enjoys self-sufficiency in local production of infusions but illegal mining threatens this achievement.
“If this environmental degradation continues, we may soon face the grave reality of importing water to support our local manufacturing industry. The pollution from these mining activities is so severe that expensive technology is also required to treat water, contributing to the high cost of medicines. We therefore call on the government to take urgent decisive action to end this lawlessness.”
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