Ghana faces environmental threats from illegal mining and climate change

Experts in Ghana are warning that illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, and climate change are causing severe environmental and economic damage across the country.

Professor Ernest Amankwa Afrifa of the University of Cape Coast stated that Ghana’s beaches, lagoons, and coastal wetlands could face severe degradation within ten years. He noted that illegal mining inland causes polluted water, sediment, and waste to flow downstream into the sea, driving saltwater intrusion and threatening tourism, fisheries, and the blue economy. The Ghana Science Association reported a roughly 59 percent decline in fish landings between 1993 and 2019, citing environmental degradation and unregulated fishing as contributing factors.

In the Ashanti Region, agricultural officials are reporting similar pressures. Esther Afoakwa, Deputy Director of Agriculture for the Amansie South District, warned that illegal mining and changing rainfall patterns are threatening the future of farming. She noted a demographic shift where young people are abandoning agriculture for the perceived financial benefits of mining, leaving farming primarily to older populations. In response, Asanko Gold Ghana Limited has begun distributing farming inputs and technical support to smallholder farmers to promote climate-resilient practices.