The Paediatric Society of Ghana has issued a statement congratulating the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, for his leadership in securing the recognition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade as a crime against humanity by the United Nations (UN), while also raising urgent concerns over the impact of illegal mining or galamsey on child health.

In a letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the president at Jubilee House in Accra, the society described the UN recognition as a “profound moral correction in global history,” noting that it affirms the need to acknowledge, remember, and prevent crimes that strip generations of dignity, health, and opportunity.

The society, however, used the occasion to highlight what it described as an “unfolding national tragedy” in the form of galamsey, warning that from a paediatric and public health perspective, the practice constitutes both “a crime against present humanity” and “a heinous crime against humanity yet unborn.”

According to the statement, galamsey is actively poisoning rivers, contaminating food systems, and exposing children to toxic heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic. It further warned that the environmental damage threatens future water security and could result in lifelong cognitive and developmental impairments in children not yet born.

Citing emerging clinical and environmental evidence, the society outlined several health risks associated with the practice, including prenatal exposure to mercury leading to irreversible brain damage, reduced IQ, and neurodevelopmental disorders. It also noted that polluted water sources increase the burden of chronic diseases, infections, and malnutrition among children.

The statement added that environmental degradation linked to galamsey fuels poverty, food insecurity, and displacement, all of which disproportionately affect children. It stressed that the issue goes beyond environmental concerns, describing it as “a slow, silent assault on the Ghanaian child.”

Drawing a parallel with the transatlantic slave trade, the society stated that while the historic atrocity robbed generations of Africans of their future, galamsey risks doing the same through “poisoned rivers, degraded lands, and stolen potential.” It emphasized that crimes against humanity are defined not only by intent but also by the scale of harm and their generational consequences.

Marking this year’s Earth Day on April 22, 2026, the society made a series of appeals to the President. These include elevating galamsey to a national emergency of public health and national security concern, and leading a coordinated, science-driven national response involving the health, environment, security, and education sectors.

It also called for strict protection of water bodies and forest reserves through enforcement, as well as investment in child-centred environmental health surveillance and early intervention systems to screen, diagnose, and treat children affected by heavy metal toxicity. The society noted that such measures are necessary to mitigate long-term health issues such as chronic kidney diseases, childhood cancers, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Additionally, the society urged the President to champion the issue globally and position environmental destruction of this nature within the broader framework of crimes against humanity.

The statement concluded by urging immediate action, noting that “the children of Ghana – both present and unborn – depend on the decisions we take today,” and offered the society’s support to government through technical expertise, research, and advocacy.

The letter was signed by the President of the Society, Dr Hilda Mantebea Boye, and the Secretary, Dr Gabrielle Obeng-Koranteng.