Open Letter To Ghana's Minister for Lands And Natural Resources

Dear Honourable John Peter Amewu,

Today, 14th March, 2017, is the 20th annual  International Day of Action for Rivers, as you no doubt know.

Nature lovers and environmental activists in all the five continents in our one biosphere will be focusing on the health and well-being of streams, rivers and other water bodies, which  help sustain life for all living beings and other life-forms that inhabit our world.

Sir, you and your colleagues have shown, in the short period that you  have been in office - through your pronouncements and actions - that yours is a government that actually intends to protect what is left of our nation's natural heritage.

That is to be commended. Our forests, for example,  serve as watersheds for many of the major river systems that drain the Ghanaian landmass.

Sir, why not aim to replicate Norway's agreement with Guyana - in which Norway pays Guyana millions of dollars annually to preserve its forests - with countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)?

Progressive GCC nations such as Dubai, might be willing to pay millions of dollars to the Forestry Commission, and fringe-forest communities here, annually, to neutralise some of their massive carbon footprints - if approached with such a proposal.

Ditto pay young people in rural Ghana to  grow and care for  different indigenous species of  trees in newly-established agro-forestry plantations, in areas devasted by illegal gold mining operations.

At a time when virtually all Ghana's major river systems and other water bodies face sustained threats from the activities of illegal gold miners, your government's determination to protect the remainder of our country's natural heritage is gratifying for most ordinary people.

Unfortunately, today, a majority of our people face an apocalyptic, water-distressed future, in virtually all parts of our country. The current situation throughout the nation is that dire, alas. And most of the harm is bring caused by recalcitrant illegal gold miners.

Hon minister, the good news, is that toxin-free mining and energy harvesting methods have been invented by researchers at  the Arizona University's College of Engineering.

If your government were to invite MetOxs - the startup set up to commercialise those inventions - to Ghana to introduce their new toxin-free mining methods to Ghana's mining sector, the continuing  threat posed by the operations of sundry industry players to streams, rivers and other other water bodies across vast swathes of the Ghanaian countryside, will be immediately removed.

In light of that, it is the prayer of this blog that your government  will take steps to get MetOxs into Ghana, as soon as practicable.

Indeed, Dr. Abraham Jalbout, the CEO of MetOxs, has made it clear to this blog that his team will be happy to collaborate with your administration and players in our national economy's mining sector, if invited to Ghana by your regime.

Sir, MetOxs offers your government the opportunity to introduce toxin-free mining into Ghana - and leave  a legacy that future generations of our people will forever associate with your tenure as a dynamic and innovative minister for lands and natural resources.

Thank you for caring about Mother Nature, Honourable minister.

Our thoughts and prayers will be with you in spirit, wherever in Ghana you happen to find yourself to officially mark the 20th annual International Day of Action for Rivers. Do have a marvellous day, today, Sir.

Thanks.

Yours in the service of Mother Ghana,

Kofi.