On World Environment Day 2024, During the commemoration of the day by various Knust departments and faculties in collaboration with the Knust Src concerns were raised about the ongoing problem of illegal mining in Ghana, despite various government interventions.
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| Illegal mining activity |
Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor, an Assisting News Editor at Multimedia, Kumasi, highlighted the devastating impact of illegal mining on the environment, including the destruction of forest reserves, pollution of water bodies, and depletion of land.
Despite initiatives such as Operation Halt 1 and 2, Operation Vanguard, and Galamstop, as well as efforts by media coalitions, illegal mining continues to thrive in Ghana.
According to the Water Resources Commission, approximately 60% of Ghana's water bodies are polluted due to illegal mining activities. Countless water bodies and farmlands have been destroyed, and the Ghana Forestry Commission estimates that approximately 35,000 hectares of forest have been degraded.
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| Illegal Mining Sites |
Mr. Donkor attributed the failure of these interventions to several factors, including:
• Involvement of state and political actors in illegal mining, leading to political interference in anti-illegal mining efforts.
• Centralized nature of the fight against illegal mining, making it difficult to respond to urgent needs.
• Complex licensing regimes.
• Weak regulatory institutions.
• Corruption and lack of political will.
.jpg "Excerpt from Operation vanguard") |
| Operation vanguard ongoing |
Mr. Donkor called for a decentralized approach to combating illegal mining, as well as strengthened regulatory institutions and increased political commitment to address this pressing environmental issue.
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