The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of TUC-Ghana has raised alarms about the severe impact illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, is having on the nation’s agriculture sector. According to GAWU, the galamsey menace is destroying farmlands, water bodies, and creating economic challenges that threaten the country’s food security. In a press statement, GAWU revealed that over 7,470 clusters of galamsey operations have devastated the agricultural sector, which remains the hardest hit.
GAWU highlighted that cocoa and oil palm farms, major contributors to Ghana’s agricultural output, have been significantly affected, with over 100,000 acres of cocoa farms and 30,000 acres of oil palm plantations destroyed by illegal mining activities. Farmers are either being coerced or forced to abandon their farms, undermining efforts to sustain food production and exacerbating rural unemployment. The environmental degradation caused by these operations has not only contributed to the destruction of farmlands but has also polluted water bodies, creating severe irrigation challenges.
The Union warned that continued inaction would lead to further food scarcity, unemployment, and health crises, as the chemicals used in illegal mining are also contaminating food sources. GAWU urged the government to prioritize reclamation of destroyed lands, restore polluted water bodies, and introduce more stringent policies to protect the agricultural sector.
As a way forward, GAWU joined calls for the declaration of a state of emergency to combat the galamsey threat. It also called for the revocation of Legislative Instrument 2462, the arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in destroying agricultural lands for illegal mining, and investment in sustainable alternative livelihoods, particularly for displaced farmers. The Union stressed that immediate and bold actions are required to prevent further collapse of the agriculture sector.
