KEY POINTS
- Protesters march in Accra to stop galamsey.
- Water bodies and cocoa farms face destruction.
- Civil society demands urgent government crackdown.
A new wave of protests has swept through Accra under the #StopGalamseyNow movement, as Ghanaians press the government to act against the devastating impact of illegal mining on the nation’s water, land, and economy.
The demonstrations, organised by the Democracy Hub and supported by activists from the #FixTheCountry campaign, entered their second day following a vigil at Revolution Square. Protesters marched slowly from Accra Mall toward Jubilee House, where they planned to deliver a petition to President John Mahama.
Galamsey blamed for water crisis in Ghana
According to the Water Resources Commission, nearly 60 percent of Ghana’s water bodies are polluted by chemicals including mercury, cyanide, and arsenic. Major rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, Birim, and Offin lifelines for millions are now heavily contaminated.
The Ghana Water Company Limited also warned that soaring costs of purification have forced a 280 percent proposed hike in tariffs. “We are spending abnormally high volumes of chemicals to make water safe,” the utility said.
Galamsey destroys farms and cocoa production
Illegal mining has further stripped over 100,000 acres of cocoa farmland, undermining an industry that provides nearly 10% of Ghana’s export earnings. Crop yields are falling sharply: cassava harvests in Amansie West plunged 40 percent in 2022.
The Wilson Centre estimates galamsey costs Ghana more than $2.3 billion annually in lost revenue and smuggling, even as legal small-scale mining contributes about 35 percent of national gold production.
Protesters call for urgent government action
Protest leaders and civil society groups say the crisis has escalated into an environmental and human rights disaster. Health officials link toxic runoff to kidney failure, cancers, and birth defects, while Human Rights Watch reports violent clashes between illegal miners and security forces.
The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) and WaterAid Ghana called the practice “ecocide” and urged a holistic strategy strict enforcement, alternative jobs, and public education.
“Illegal mining has become an existential threat,” said Oliver Barker-Vormawor, convenor of the #FixTheCountry movement. “We can’t afford to keep watching.”
