Robert O’Connor
On the 25th of September 2024, Ghanaian police arrested 40 individuals partaking in an environmental protest against illegal gold mines, or “Galamseys”, which have, according to the BBC, polluted 60% of Ghana’s rivers. Leading the protest was Oliver Barker-Vormawor, an Oxford-educated Ghanaian activist who was beaten during the protest and remains in custody in a “seriously ill” condition. Since then, a movement has arisen on social media named #freethecitizens which has called on the government to release the protestors.
found toxic metals such as arsenic, cyanide and mercury in the placentas of local pregnant women
The protests erupted in response to the reports that have recently emerged about the state of Ghana’s rivers and rural communities affected by the Galamseys. In the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai district, Professor Paul Poku Sampene Ossei found the presence of toxic metals such as arsenic, cyanide and mercury in the placentas of local pregnant women, causing birth defects such as missing genitalia and extra limbs. It is largely attributed to the fact that drinking water in such areas – measuring the “murkiness” in NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) – contains anywhere from 500-14000 NTU, when the threshold for safe drinkable water should not exceed 5 NTU.
50% of those working in the mines are women, and 10% are children
The mines are usually formerly dismantled gold mines in poor condition and are occupied by local and foreign individuals and gangs that use trafficked labour in their workforce. An Interpol report estimates that around 50% of those working in the mines are women, and 10% are children. Despite President Nana Afuko-Addo’s promise in 2018 to end Galamseys, environmental journalist Erastus Asare Donkor criticised the government for inaction and corruption. Donkor states that every time a military patrol is sent in to dismantle such mines, they are either ineffective or diverted by politicians with a vested interest in the Galamseys.
$2 billion annually
Not only have Galamseys harmed the environment, but they have also presented a serious problem for Ghanaian gold production – the sixth largest in the world – costing the economy $2 billion annually according to the African Mining Market. The gold industry makes up 95% of Ghana’s mineral exports, is among the largest tax-paying industries in the country and generates a third of export revenues. In response to this, the UK government initiated the £3.9 million UK-Ghana Gold Mining Program to combat illegal mining.
“monster mine”
With recent pushes to counteract the slump in gold revenues from the last decade, such as the 2023 Goldfields-AngloGold Ashanti joint venture to combine the Tarkwa and Iduapriem mines into a “monster mine”, it is an issue that remains pressing to the Ghanaian people and government.
Alongside UK government efforts to resolve the issue, publications such as Frontiers have evaluated the effectiveness of Ghanaian government policies up until now. The report states that all six methods of prevention: policy intervention, total ban, military strategy, national dialogue, alternative livelihood programmes and community mining have all failed. They instead propose that the government recognise the mines provide a living wage to people in extreme poverty by lowering the costs of setting up such a business, providing tax exemptions, strengthening safety and employment regulations and empowering communities to make decisions about their local mines.
importing water by 2030
Various analysts have predicted that, if patterns continue, Ghana will have to start importing water by 2030. With the next presidential election coming on December 7th, voters will decide if they blame the current ruling party for the turmoil or not, as opposition candidate John Mahama has positioned himself in favour of the protestors and denounced the “heavy-handed” government response.
Robert O’Connor
Featured image courtesy of Engin Akyurt via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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