Killing Africa through Environmental Criminality and Corruption

By Mawutodzi Abissath

Endangered Rhinos

Do you remember this popular saying that “When the last tree dies the last man, too, will die?”

Well, this author can ring the alarm bell that today, it is not only the last tree that is being butchered to death but the last animal is being strangulated as well as the last river being suffocated to demise   by environmental criminals.

Ghana Government

Most African countries including Ghana are confronted with critical environmental, health and sustainability challenges which require continental collaboration to tackle.  In Ghana, the devastating effect of illegal mining or the “galamsey criminality” is a typical example to cite for illustration.

Thank God, the Government of Ghana through the Inter-ministerial Taskforce against illegal mining which was inaugurated on April 4, 2013 by the President John Mahama, and officially commenced operation on June 1, is taking the bull by the horns. The taskforce must not allow itself to be detracted by forces of evil but work without fear or favour and go all out to reduce the galamsey nonsense to its barest minimum. If they fail to achieve their stated objective, posterity will curse this nation for ever and ever as far as agrarian environment and sustainable development is concerned.

World Environment Day

On Thursday, June 13, 2013, in the sanctum of the Multipurpose Room at the US Embassy in Accra, a round table discussion was held to commemorate the 2013 World Environmental Day. The theme for the event was ‘Current Situation and Threats to Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation in Ghana and West Africa.”   The World Environment Day itself was celebrated on June 5, under a broad theme of “Think, Eat and Save.”  Of course, if the world does not think, eat and save, there will be no future.

A team of five environmental gurus, including Mr. Bryan Christy, a veteran international investigative journalist, author and contributing writer for National Geographic Magazine; Dr. Anne Dix, Regional Environmental Director, USAI/West Africa; Dr. David Kpelle, Ghana Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources; Dr. Augustus Asamoah, Ghana Wildlife Society, and Mr. Mustapha Kaluwe Seidu, World Wildlife Fund Program Coordinator. These were the panelists whose discussions focused on the importance of maintaining biodiversity not only in Ghana but across the West Africa sub-region and beyond.

Without exaggerating, all the speakers did justice to their various topics excellently. But if this writer were to be  granted  the privilege to  grade or rank their delivery on the scale of 1-10 where 10 is the highest and 1 the lowest,  the only journalist among them , Mr. Bryan Christy who is also a lawyer, would have  easily clocked 10 over 10.

Elephants in Togo

“Before arriving in Ghana,” started Mr. Bryan Christy extempore, “I was in some other West African countries including Benin and Togo,” he informed the audience. Then he went on,   “While in Lome, I met with that country’s Minister for Environment, who said something which will make you Ghanaians happy, “Mr. Bryan Christy hinted the audience.

According to Mr. Bryan Christy, the Togolese Minister for Environment told him that, when he (the Minister) as a small boy, traveling in northern Togo, in those day, it was common to come across a troop of elephants crossing the roads, and they were compelled to stop and wait for the huge animals, for over two hours or so, before they could continue with their journey.

Mr. Bryan Christy said the Togolese Environment Minister lamented that there was no longer a single elephant in Togo today. To the extent that anybody, especially tourists or the youth who were desirous of seeing an elephant, he had no option but to direct them to go to Ghana and see an elephant.

 As a matter of fact, when Mr. Bryan Christy concluded his anecdote, almost all participants in the room including this author burst into uncontrollable laughter. Naturally, any well-meaning Ghanaian hearing good news like that was bound to experience some inner tickling. Where did the Togo elephants go? The simple answer is that their habitats have been completely destroyed over the years.

Threatened biodiversity

Speaking from practical experience as an investigative journalist and writer for National Geographic Magazine, Mr. Bryan Christy who has traveled extensively across Africa and knows Africa more than some of us Africans, painted a very bleak picture of the threatened biodiversity and wildlife in Africa.

In the 1980s, according to Mr. Bryan Christy, Africa had over 1.3million elephants. “However, over 60,000 elephants are killed every year on the Continent,” he noted with concern.  Wildlife records also show that, while it is impossible to precisely track the population of elephants, rhinoceroses and tigers, illicit killings of these endangered species are reaching crisis proportions.

It is estimated that there are only 25,000 rhinos on this planet of environmental degradation, down from 600,000 in the mid-20th century. In South Africa, for instance, where most rhinos live, a survey has revealed that a rhino is murdered every 13 hours for its horn.

Research also indicates that there are roughly 600,000 elephants in the whole of Africa. And this is said to be one third the number a few decades ago. Experts now estimate that over 25, 000 African elephants were killed in 2011 alone for their ivory.

 As for tigers, it is estimated that, today, roughly 3,200 remain in the wild. It is said that this figure constitutes just 3percent of the number a century ago. Research further shows that even though fewer tigers are being killed, yet there is a conservation crisis. “Tigers have become extinct in 11 out of 24 Asian countries where they once thrived,” US Embassy document distributed at the proramme  reveals.

Like the galamsey situation in Ghana where some indigenous people and local forest guards are shot dead in cold blood for challenging illegal miners or chainsaw operators, so, too, reports indicate that local rangers and law enforcement authorities in illicit poaching “are no march for poachers armed with AK-47 and grenade launchers or trafficking networks.” These environmental offenders have the tendency “to corrupt government officials to facilitate moving the poached animal parts across borders.”

Consequences of animal trafficking

Mr. Bryan Christy again made a point during question time that even though there were no elephants in Togo it was estimated that several tones of ivory find their way to Asia through that country. Environmental authorities warn that in some countries proceeds from poached wildlife “likely finance the purchase of weapons and ammunitions, which end up exacerbating regional and cross-border conflicts.”

Health authorities also regret that wildlife trafficking may pose a public health risk. It is said that up to 75 percent of human diseases – such as SARS, avian influenza or Ebola virus – may be caused by infectious agents transmitted from animals to humans.

In fact, State Department’s Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science officials in the USA have established the fact that illicit trade of animals or their parts bypasses public health control and can put human population at risk for diseases.

Again, environmental experts are of the view that illicit trade in threatened and endangered is not only a multi-billion-dollar business, but it threatens peace and security in Africa and Asia. Loss of biodiversity also affects freshwater supplies and food production, and it robs local communities of economic resources, experts opined.

This is exactly what is happening in Ghana where galamsey upheavals are making it impossible for rural communities to get fresh-water to drink because their rivers and streams are poisoned, polluted, and contaminated beyond scientific treatment. If a care is taken, Africa will be wiped off the face of the earth through environmental criminality and corruption.

Author is an officer at the Information Services Department, Accra.
Contact: abissath@gmail.com