A new study on the ecological impact of illegal mining in Ghana has proposed a temporary 3–5 year moratorium on mining activities in heavily degraded areas to allow for land reclamation and restoration of polluted water bodies.
The study, titled Ecological Damage of Illegal Mining in Water Bodies and Forest Management in Ghana, was conducted by Dr. Kwadwo Ansong Asante and Dr. Lydia Osei and published by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).
The researchers warned that illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, continues to pose serious environmental, economic and public health risks, with devastating effects on rivers, forests and farmlands across the country.
Among the key recommendations is the declaration of critically polluted rivers and forest reserves as emergency zones, coupled with an immediate ban on all mining activities in those areas.
The study further proposed a temporary nationwide moratorium on mining in severely affected zones for between three and five years to facilitate reclamation efforts and environmental recovery.
According to the report, the suspension period would allow authorities and environmental experts to undertake restoration interventions, including phytoremediation using aquatic plants to absorb heavy metals, bioremediation through mercury-metabolising bacteria, construction of artificial wetlands to filter pollutants, and dredging contaminated river sediments.
The researchers identified weak enforcement of mining regulations, high remediation costs, resistance from communities dependent on galamsey incomes, and limited local technical expertise as major obstacles to restoring degraded ecosystems.
To address these challenges, the report called for stronger political commitment, increased funding for environmental recovery, and closer collaboration among government agencies, local communities, civil society organisations and industry stakeholders.
The study also stressed the need for sustainable livelihood alternatives in mining communities, arguing that the persistence of galamsey is linked to rural poverty, youth unemployment and the collapse of local economies.
It recommended making farming more profitable through improved agricultural extension services, commercialisation support, competitive compensation for affected farmers, and rehabilitation assistance for cocoa farms damaged by illegal mining activities.
Additionally, the researchers urged government to designate water bodies and riparian zones as permanent “no-go areas” for artisanal and small-scale mining, backed by stricter environmental sanctions and property forfeiture measures.
The report also advocated reforms to formalise artisanal mining cooperatives under transparent regulatory systems while barring politicians and political office holders from participating in small-scale mining activities.
The study warned that continued pollution of rivers would significantly increase water treatment costs for the Ghana Water Limited and threaten food security through contamination of fish and crops with toxic substances such as mercury, cyanide, lead and arsenic.
Researchers further cited evidence of dangerous levels of toxic metals found in examined placentas, which they said had resulted in severe birth deformities, describing the situation as a growing public health emergency requiring urgent attention and further scientific investigation.
