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Basic 4 · Religious and Moral Education · The Environment

Galamsey and Water Pollution

In this topic you will discuss how illegal mining and pollution affect rivers and water bodies.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Explain galamsey
  • State the effects of galamsey and water pollution
  • Suggest ways to protect water bodies

What you already know

  • Deforestation and bush burning

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
God’s creation and attributes
Sub-strand
The Environment
Indicator
B4.1.2.1.1 – Discuss the effects of human activities on the environment

Introduction

The River Pra and River Ankobra have turned brown in many places because of illegal mining. Fish are dying and towns struggle to get clean water.

1. Galamsey

Galamsey: Illegal small-scale gold mining.

Effects of galamsey
EffectExplanation
muddy riverssoil is washed into water
poisoned watermercury is used to extract gold
land destructionpits are left open
loss of farmlandcocoa farms are destroyed
danger to lifepeople fall into pits or pits collapse
A brown polluted river beside galamsey pits
Figure 1: The effect of galamsey Draw a clean river and a polluted river.Photo: Efo Komla, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2. Other Water Pollution

  • dumping rubbish into rivers
  • washing with chemicals in rivers
  • defecating near water bodies
  • spilling oil into the sea

3. Protecting Water Bodies

  • obey mining laws and report illegal mining
  • do not dump rubbish in water
  • plant trees along river banks
  • use toilets

New words

galamsey
Illegal small-scale gold mining.
mercury
A poisonous metal used in mining.
water body
A river, lake, lagoon or sea.
pollute
To make dirty or harmful.
extract
To take out.
pit
A deep hole in the ground.

Summary

  • Galamsey is illegal small-scale gold mining.
  • It makes rivers muddy and poisons water with mercury.
  • Rubbish and chemicals also pollute water.
  • We protect water by obeying laws and keeping rivers clean.

Class activity: Water Protection Poster

  1. Look at the photographs of galamsey.
  2. List three effects of galamsey.
  3. Make a poster to protect rivers.

You need: Printed photographs of local galamsey, Bush burning, Charred wood, Discarded water sachet, Manila cause-and-effect chart

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Galamsey is…

    • A. Illegal small-scale gold mining
    • B. A festival
    • C. A type of fish
    • D. A dance
    Show answer
    Answer: Illegal small-scale gold miningIt harms the environment.

  2. 2. Which poisonous metal is used in galamsey?

    • A. Mercury
    • B. Gold
    • C. Iron
    • D. Copper
    Show answer
    Answer: MercuryIt poisons water.

  3. 3. Which protects water bodies?

    • A. Planting trees along river banks
    • B. Dumping rubbish
    • C. Galamsey
    • D. Defecating near water
    Show answer
    Answer: Planting trees along river banksTrees hold soil.

  4. 4. Galamsey destroys farmland.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueCocoa farms are lost.

  5. 5. Mercury in rivers is safe for fish.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseMercury is poisonous.

  6. 6. A deep hole in the ground is a ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: pitGalamsey leaves pits.

  7. 7. Give three effects of galamsey.

    Show answer
    Answer: Any three: muddy rivers, poisoned water, destroyed land, lost farms, danger to life.Galamsey is harmful.

  8. 8. Why is galamsey against God's teaching about creation?

    Show answer
    Answer: It destroys land and water God created and harms people's lives.We are stewards of creation.

Homework

  1. Find out the name of a river in your region and whether it is polluted.