Ghana is poised to implement a nationwide lockdown on Monday, September 30, as civil servants and labor unions intensify their campaign against illegal mining, commonly known as Galamsey. The environmental destruction from these unregulated operations has sparked urgent calls for government intervention, including a state of emergency in mining regions and the cancellation of mining licenses.
Recent findings from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) reveal alarming water shortages linked to the pollution of vital water sources. GWCL reports that 60% of the country’s major water bodies are contaminated, with water treatment systems overwhelmed by turbidity levels reaching an average of 14,000 NTU—well above the acceptable limit of 2,000 NTU.
Urgent Calls for Action
A coalition of civil society groups, labor unions, media organizations, and religious leaders is ramping up pressure on the government for immediate action. They demand a state of emergency in affected areas, the deployment of security forces to remove illegal miners from water bodies, and the swift revocation of mining licenses.
Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Convener of the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey, emphasized the urgency of the crisis, stating, “Poisoning your own water is akin to a war crime. Our leaders are failing to act. This is a crisis, and the president must intervene now.”
Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, supported these claims, urging military deployment to affected regions and the cancellation of all mining permits in protected biodiversity zones.
Environmental Impact
Illegal mining has wreaked havoc across Ghana, contaminating water bodies, damaging farmlands—especially in cocoa-producing areas—and destroying at least 34 forest reserves. As the lockdown approaches, all eyes are on the government to address this escalating crisis and take decisive action to prevent further environmental degradation that threatens the nation’s water security and agricultural viability.
