The Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) has registered its displeasure about the uncontrolled surge of illegal mining activities ravaging the country’s regions – including the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions and particularly in the critical Birimian and Tarkwaian basins.
According to FAGE, the devastating consequences of this unchecked illegal mining epidemic – such as severe threats to national food and water security, unprecedented biodiversity loss, destruction of vast agricultural land tracts, farms and plantations, impoverishing hundreds of thousands of citizens who depend on farming and ecosystem services for their livelihoods – are far-reaching and potentially irreversible.
The Federation is therefore calling for immediate action, demanding swift implementation of the following remedial measures by the president and government.
- An immediate cessation of all forms of small-scale mining activities across the country.
- The swift deployment of security forces to affected areas to halt illegal mining operations. We urge government to collaborate with key stakeholders, including traditional chiefs and civil society organisations, to ensure the effective expulsion of illegal miners.
- The submission of a comprehensive proposal to redirect the labour force currently engaged in illegal mining toward productive employment. This should focus on agribusiness and manufacturing, driven by large-scale investments in irrigation, agro-industrial parks and processing facilities.
- Immediate funding for Renewable Natural Resources Researchers and Ecologists at Ghana’s leading universities to execute bioremediation strategies aimed at restoring our damaged environment.
- Swift prosecution of all individuals whose negligence has contributed to the environmental devastation we are witnessing.
Also, FAGE is calling on all political parties to review, publish and commit to signing a performance contract with the citizens, outlining their commitment and strategies to combat illegal mining effectively. Furthermore, it is urging media to maintain consistent coverage of this critical issue until long-term solutions are implemented and their efficacy is proven.
