Small-scale mines produced 1.2 million ounces of gold within the first seven months of this 12 months, greater than in the entire of 2023, in response to information from Ghana’s mining sector regulator.
However the increase in a observe that harms miners’ well being, pollutes waterways, destroys forests and cocoa farms, and fuels crime has spurred calls and protests to clamp down. It has additionally grow to be a sizzling button electoral situation as Ghana heads to the polls on Dec. 7 for a normal election.
A whole bunch took half in an “environmental prayer stroll” in opposition to galamsey on Friday that concerned handing a petition for a ban on casual mining to the president’s workplace.
The march adopted plans by labour unions for a nationwide strike in opposition to galamsey this week that have been partially referred to as off after the federal government made promising provisions, in response to native media studies citing the organizers.
The federal government is below stress to attraction to voters that may elect the subsequent president of the West African gold- and cocoa-producing nation.
Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has grappled with the nation’s worst financial disaster in a technology and an enormous debt overhaul that has closely impacted individuals’s livelihoods.
About 40% of Ghana’s complete gold output comes from small-scale mines, versus concessions operated by multi-national companies. Some 70%-80% of the small mines are unlicensed.
(By Francis Kokoroko and Sofia Christensen; Enhancing by Invoice Berkrot)
Learn Extra: Ghana’s wildcat gold mining booms, poisoning individuals and nature