The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of TUC-Ghana has joined the call for the government to impose a ban on illegal mining, commonly known as Galamsey, to protect agriculture in the country.
The union emphasized that the Galamsey crisis is severely impacting agriculture and creating nationwide challenges, including food scarcity and high prices. This situation has dire consequences for climate change, public health, and the well-being of future generations.
In a press statement, GAWU highlighted that food security is becoming one of the most pressing issues in Ghana, exacerbated by the Galamsey problem.Citing a ResearchGate report, GAWU noted that Galamsey has led to significant destruction of farmlands and water bodies, resulting in job and income insecurities for many informal workers.
The report estimates that Ghana has lost approximately 2.5 million hectares of forest reserve due to illegal and uncontrolled mining.GAWU described Galamsey as an extremely dangerous form of illegal mining that has forced many farmers to abandon their land, either through coercion or frustration with ineffective systems designed to address the issue.
The union also pointed out the unprecedented negative effects of Galamsey on cocoa production. The environmental damage caused by these activities has far-reaching consequences for ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. The removal of vegetation and topsoil lead to crop loss and unfavourable conditions for cocoa cultivation, undermining sustainable economic growth, particularly in agriculture and forestry.
GAWU expressed alarm over the broader impacts of Galamsey, which not only affect agricultural production and the economy but also pose significant health and safety risks to Ghanaian citizens. The contamination of water bodies with chemicals used in illegal mining threatens public health, including potential effects on women’s fertility, unborn children, and infants of lactating mothers.
GAWU’s key demands for immediate government action are as follows: the President should urgently address the damage to lands, air, water bodies, and human lives; prioritize the reclamation of damaged lands and restoration of polluted water bodies; immediately revoke relevant legislative instruments and prosecute those responsible for destroying agricultural lands; support and invest in alternative livelihoods for sustainable employment; and ensure that efforts to create jobs and boost agriculture are not undermined by ongoing issues of land grabbing and forced removal.
