GAAS urges Ghanaians to join forces in fighting illegal mining

Illegal mining is destroying the country’s lands, rivers and forests. Although mining has been practised over decades in Ghana, the wanton environmental destruction has taken a new dimension with adverse consequences, such as the destruction of water bodies and farmlands and the use of hazardous chemicals with long term damage to our health and vital organs. As we have seen, half-hearted attempts to stop illegal mining will not work. What is required is effective regulation and its enforcement which must be backed by strong political will and commitment, a common understanding of the threats posed by illegal mining, and a stakeholder consensus on the way forward.