By Peter Martey AGBEKO, (APR)
We are faced with an environmental catastrophe fueled by illegal mining activities, known locally as galamsey. Beyond the visible destruction of lush forests and once-pristine rivers, galamsey has created a more insidious problem: the contamination of water supplies and the food chain with heavy metals and other toxic substances.
This contamination poses a dire threat to human and animal health, the environment, and future generations.
At this stage, we need a state of emergency to make any significant headway!
The silent poison: Heavy metals in water and food
The widespread use of mercury, lead, arsenic, and other toxic chemicals in illegal mining has severely polluted Ghana’s rivers, lakes, and groundwater. These substances, used bygalamsey miners to extract gold from ore, often find their way into the water supply and, subsequently, into the food chain.
Heavy metals are categorized into two types: essential and non-essential. Essential metals, like zinc, iron, and copper, are necessary for biological functions in small amounts. However, non-essential metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic are toxic even at low concentrations. The latter are often released in staggering quantities by galamsey operations, creating a toxic cocktail in the environment.
Effects of heavy metals on human and animal health
Heavy metal exposure has far-reaching consequences. When these metals enter the human body through contaminated water or food, they accumulate in organs and tissues, leading to a host of severe health issues:
- Mercury: A neurotoxin, mercury is especially dangerous to pregnant women and young children. It can cause developmental disorders, cognitive deficits, and physical deformities. In adults, it leads to neurological damage, affecting motor skills and memory.
- Lead: Lead poisoning can cause damage to the brain, kidneys, and reproductive system. In children, even small amounts of lead can lead to learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and reduced IQ.
- Arsenic: Long-term exposure to arsenic-contaminated water has been linked to cancers of the skin, lungs, and bladder. Chronic exposure can also cause cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
- Cadmium: Found in some mining by-products, cadmium can cause bone demineralization and kidney damage, leading to kidney failure and osteoporosis.
Animals are also vulnerable to heavy metal contamination, which can decimate wildlife populations and upset entire ecosystems. Fish, a primary source of protein for many Ghanaians, are often the first victims of water contamination.
Once they absorb toxins, they pass them up the food chain, leading to biomagnification. This means that as humans consume fish and other animals exposed to these toxins, they ingest concentrated levels of heavy metals, compounding the health risks.
The environmental impact: A dying ecosystem
The environmental destruction caused by galamsey is stark. Forests are cleared, soil is displaced, and rivers turn muddy and toxic. The water bodies that once sustained communities and ecosystems are now riddled with heavy metals, leading to the loss of aquatic life and the degradation of biodiversity.
Farmlands are destroyed as soil becomes infertile, and food crops absorb dangerous levels of contaminants, further embedding these poisons into the food chain.
Antimicrobial resistance is also emerging as an unintended consequence of galamsey. The heavy metals used in mining disrupt microbial communities in soil and water. These metals promote the selection of resistant bacterial strains, further exacerbating the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance.
This means that diseases that were once treatable may become harder to manage, with infections becoming more resistant to antibiotics due to the contamination of the environment.
Galamsey: An existential threat
The scale of the galamsey crisis is monumental. Ghana’s rivers, such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin, have been poisoned, threatening water security for millions of Ghanaians. Communities that depend on these rivers for drinking water, fishing, and irrigation are now left with toxic alternatives.
The human cost is also staggering. Aside from the immediate health effects, the long-term consequences of heavy metal exposure—cancer, neurological damage, and birth defects—are creating a silent epidemic that will take generations to resolve.
A way forward: Ending galamsey
The fight against galamsey must be multi-faceted, combining legal enforcement, technological innovation, community engagement, and rehabilitation efforts. Here are key steps that Ghana must take:
- Strict enforcement of mining regulations: The government must enforce stringent mining laws, shutting down illegal mining operations and holding those responsible accountable. This includes cracking down on both local and foreign actors who fuel the galamsey economy.
- Community involvement: Many local communities turn to galamsey out of economic desperation. The government should introduce alternative livelihood programs that provide sustainable income for these communities, focusing on farming, eco-tourism, and artisanal mining under safe and regulated conditions.
- Technological solutions: Investment in modern mining technologies that minimize environmental harm should be encouraged. Small-scale mining cooperatives could be supported with equipment that reduces mercury and other toxic chemicals used in the extraction process.
- Rehabilitation of affected areas: A national plan for the reclamation of polluted water bodies and degraded land must be implemented. This includes reforestation projects, soil treatment to remove toxins, and the establishment of water treatment facilities.
Reclaiming the land: How long will it take?
Reversing the damage caused by galamsey is not a short-term endeavor. Restoring water bodies to their pre-galamsey condition could take decades of sustained effort. The reclamation of degraded land might take at least 10 to 15 years, depending on the scale of contamination and the restoration methods employed.
Reforestation will take time, but with proper investment, we can begin to see signs of recovery within a decade. However, the effects of heavy metal contamination on human health will linger for generations, with diseases linked to exposure continuing to afflict communities long after the mining operations have ceased.
Conclusion
Galamsey is not merely an environmental issue; it is a public health crisis and an existential threat to the future of Ghana. The poisoning of water supplies, the food chain, and the destruction of ecosystems have set Ghana on a dangerous trajectory.
The time to act is now. Ending galamsey will require strong political will, community cooperation, and long-term investment in environmental rehabilitation. While the road to recovery is long, the survival of Ghana’s people, wildlife, and natural heritage depends on swift, decisive action.
