Illegal gold mining operations, known as “galamsey,” have surged in Ghana, raising significant health and environmental concerns. A recent report by Reuters highlighted the perilous conditions faced by miners and the ecological damage caused by these unlicensed activities.
During a visit to a mining site in the Prestea-Huni Valley district, reporters observed workers engaged in gold extraction without any protective gear, wading through muddy waters laced with mercury. Most of these unofficial miners, dressed in ordinary clothes, relied solely on their hands to sift through rocks.
The increase in illegal mining can be attributed to a recent spike in international gold prices, which rose by 30%. This trend has driven many, including students like a 24-year-old accounting major who wished to remain anonymous, to abandon their studies in pursuit of financial gain from gold mining. He expressed, “It’s risky, but I just want to survive.”
According to official government data, small-scale mines produced 34 million grams of gold in the first seven months of this year alone—surpassing total production for all of 2023. Approximately 40% of Ghana’s gold output comes from small mines, with an estimated 70-80% operating without proper licenses.
These illegal operations have led to a rising number of fatalities due to collapsing pits, and hospitals report increased heart-related deaths among miners and nearby residents. Health issues are exacerbated by dust containing heavy metals like lead, alongside toxic gases from mercury and nitric acid released during mining activities. The Ghana Water Authority has indicated that around 65% of water sources have been contaminated with mercury and heavy metals, while thousands of hectares of cocoa farms and forests have been adversely affected.
Recent protests in the capital, Accra, have seen citizens demand greater government action on the issue. Demonstrators carried signs stating, “Leaders, you’ve failed us!” Activist Aboubacar Sadekh, who participated in a September 22 protest, voiced the community’s concerns, stating, “Galamsey has to stop. We want to live long. We don’t want to fall sick. We don’t want to go to the hospital.”
The call for action against illegal gold mining underscores the urgent need for government intervention to safeguard both public health and the environment.
