Once known as the Gold Coast for its abundant reserves, Ghana today faces an environmental and economic crisis as illegal gold mining, or galamsey, threatens the country’s resources, economy, and health. While Ghana remains Africa’s largest gold producer and ranks sixth globally, much of its gold is now extracted through illicit means, often driven by Chinese entrepreneurs partnering with local miners.
The surge of galamsey and its drivers
Traditional small-scale mining in Ghana has transformed into an industrial-scale operation, fueled by Chinese-supplied excavators, bulldozers, and chemicals. The rise in international gold prices and Ghana’s economic struggles, including high unemployment and inflation, have made galamsey an attractive, albeit illegal, livelihood. Many workers earn up to 2,000 cedis ($125) weekly, far above the national average income.
In the first seven months of 2024, Ghana’s small-scale mining sector produced 1.2 million ounces of gold, surpassing the 2023 total. However, a significant portion of this gold is smuggled abroad, bypassing official export channels and draining the economy.
Environmental devastation and health risks
Galamsey operations have left a trail of environmental destruction, with chemicals like mercury, cyanide, and nitric acid polluting rivers and soil. According to Dr. George Manful, a former senior official with Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency, mercury contamination can last for up to 1,000 years, impacting water bodies, crops, and aquatic life.
“The rivers are so turbid that the water is undrinkable,” Manful said. “We are slowly poisoning ourselves.”
Health professionals have linked the surge in respiratory illnesses, skin infections, and waterborne diseases in mining communities to galamsey activities. In September 2024, they urged the government to implement an outright ban on illegal mining, warning of an ecological disaster with dire implications for public health.
Government response and challenges
ALSO READ Ghana’s new president faces rising terrorism threat in the North
The Ghanaian government has launched military-led operations such as Operation Halt and Operation Vanguard to combat galamsey. However, illegal miners often return to cleared sites within hours, undermining enforcement efforts.
Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame announced in September 2024 that 76 people, including 18 foreign nationals, had been convicted of illegal mining since 2021, with over 850 cases still pending. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Tong Defa called for stricter prosecution of offenders and urged Chinese citizens to avoid illegal mining.
Despite these measures, the root causes persist. Research shows that between 2008 and 2016, over 50,000 Chinese nationals migrated to Ghana to exploit small-scale concessions, an industry legally reserved for Ghanaian citizens.
Public outcry and the path forward
Protests in Accra in late 2024 called attention to the environmental toll of galamsey, with groups like WaterAid warning that Ghana might need to import water by 2030 if illegal mining continues unchecked.
Economist Enoch Randy Aikins has called for a ban on mining near water bodies and forest reserves, urging the establishment of an independent commission to audit mining activities and prosecute violators.
John Allotey, head of the Ghana Forestry Commission, revealed that galamsey has affected seven of Ghana’s 16 regions and 34 forest reserves. “We need intensified surveillance, military operations, and additional funding to protect our resources,” he said.
For many Ghanaians, the frustration is palpable. Kwame Amoah, a miner in the Western region, lamented the unequal enforcement of laws. “It shouldn’t be that someone from China benefits while a Ghanaian is arrested for the same thing,” he said.
The battle against galamsey is not just about protecting Ghana’s gold but ensuring the country’s future economic stability, environmental health, and social equity.
