The Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana (VEPEAG) has expressed fears that its members risk a ban on vegetable exports following heightened illegal mining activities.

The Association, comprising smallholder farmers, Exporters, Aggregators and Processors (Value Addition) and other actors in the Export Value chain, has, therefore, appealed to the President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo and Parliament to heed the call of the people to immediately halt the activities of the ‘Galamseyers’ to save the vegetable businesses.

Dr. Felix Kamassah, President of VEPEAG, told a media briefing that the negative effects of the galamsey activities on vegetable production included loss of farmlands for cultivation of vegetables leading to unemployment, low production of vegetables for local and export markets and unsafe vegetables for consumption and a threat to food security.

There will also be the loss of export market for vegetables and possible ban on the exportation of vegetables and other produce to the international markets and loss of about US$15 million foreign inflows.

He urged the Presiden Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to call for an immediate suspension of all galamsey activities and the security agencies upon the authorization by the President to move swiftly to the affected areas to arrest and prosecute those who may flout the pronouncement of the President.

The sanctions on illegal mining must also be enforced without fear or favour while crisis meetings by key stakeholders such as the ministry of lands and natural Resources, Food and Agriculture ministry, Chiefs, National Security are held to deal with the issue.

There must also be the restoration of degraded sites “We believe that the successful cessation of the illegal activities would protect and save the lives of the citizenry,” Dr Kamassah said.

“If we ourselves are not healthy, we are not going to have the opportunity to be strong and do the farming. Nutrition is going to be an issue because vegetables play a major key role in terms of nutrition. It plays a key role in terms of our daily life where we think that this is an issue where we want the President and then his Cabinet Minister, Ministers of Agriculture and Lands to come together and then let us know the roadmap,” he said.

“Already, we know what is going on in terms of export requirements and certification. So, we know that if care is not taken, we are going to have issues because requirements for export certificates are very expensive and we cannot add those costs to our operation costs,” he added.