One of the stories in this issue stands out. It is about the display of rare patriotism which we need in this country at this time of widespread irresponsibility.
Citizens somewhere in the Ashanti Region, upon receiving information about illegal mining activities on a river, proceeded to the location regardless of the danger they could face and arrested some of the actors.
They deserve recognition so that their rare patriotic act would motivate the rest of us about what it means when we say security management is a shared responsibility.
Alhaji Ali Salifu, Yaw Agyei and Paul Nkrumah, charged on the illegal miners on the Sunsu River at Nsuem No 2, an action which could only be inspired by love for country and managed to arrest two of the five persons engaged in the illegal activity.
As we compose this commentary, Abuabakari Suadic and Bawa Dawuda are guests of a court.
While such acts of patriotism are rare, we would encourage others to emulate the style so that decency would be restored on our rivers and forests.
There can be no success in our march to prosperity when others decide that they could not care a hoot about the fate of the nation.
It is our hope that very soon, other Ghanaians would stand up and be counted among those who are ready to partake in the security management of the country in their own way, no matter how small.
With this development, the path is clear for spirited and deliberate efforts at encouraging all Ghanaians especially, those living near gold-bearing rivers and forests to support the police and other security agents to fight illegal mining.
As we pointed out in a previous commentary, when the people are sufficiently educated about the drawbacks of illegal mining especially its negative effects on the environment, we would be close to stemming the illegality.
We need more of the Nsuaem No 2 citizens’ vigilante action to restore normalcy on our rivers and forests.
We have learnt about how some persons allowed their cocoa farms to be used for illegal mining activities.
The suspects have been arrested and for us, this is also encouraging as more and more arrests are being made of illegal miners.
With the resilience of such miners not in short supply, the only way they can be subdued is for the good citizens to disregard the risks and the money to be made by rising against the illegality.
Loving the motherland should go beyond our lips. It should be translated into action and an eventual stemming of illegal mining on our rivers and farms.