Unlicensed extraction and reported exposure risks
Illegal gold mining operations in Ghana, known as galamsey, have expanded rapidly, prompting concerns about worker safety and environmental harm. A Reuters report described hazardous conditions for miners and damage tied to unlicensed activity. In the Prestea-Huni Valley district, reporters observed people extracting gold without protective gear. Workers were seen wading through muddy water containing mercury while sifting rocks by hand.
Gold price rise and shift away from studies
The growth in illegal mining has been linked to a 30% increase in international gold prices. That change has encouraged more people to enter extraction work, including students. A 24-year-old accounting major who asked not to be identified said the work is risky but that he wants to survive. The same Reuters reporting connected the decision to the pursuit of financial gain from gold.
Production figures from small-scale mining and licensing gaps
Official government data cited in the report shows small-scale mines produced 34 million grams of gold in the first seven months of this year. That output was reported as exceeding total production for all of 2023. About 40% of Ghana’s gold output is attributed to small mines, while an estimated 70-80% operate without proper licenses. The figures were presented alongside observations of ongoing unlicensed extraction at sites visited by reporters.
Fatalities, hospital reports, and contamination of water and farms
The report links illegal operations to a rising number of fatalities caused by collapsing pits. Hospitals also reported increased heart-related deaths among miners and nearby residents. Health risks are described as being intensified by dust that contains heavy metals such as lead, along with toxic gases associated with mercury and nitric acid used during mining activities. The Ghana Water Authority indicated that around 65% of water sources have been contaminated with mercury and heavy metals.
In addition to water contamination, the report said thousands of hectares of cocoa farms and forests have been adversely affected. These impacts were described as occurring alongside the continued expansion of unlicensed mining activity. The account also tied ecological damage to the same mercury-linked extraction processes observed at the Prestea-Huni Valley site.
Public protests in Accra calling for enforcement
Demands for stronger government action have been reflected in protests in Accra, where citizens called for intervention on the issue. Demonstrators carried signs reading, “Leaders, you’ve failed us!” Activist Aboubacar Sadekh, who participated in a September 22 protest, said communities want galamsey to stop so people can avoid sickness and hospital visits. His remarks were presented as part of the public pressure surrounding health and environmental concerns.