Feb 10, 2014 at 4:04pm
Effect Of Illegal Mining On Environment
NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE EFFECTS OF ILLEGAL MINING
Worried about the negative effects on mining in all spheres of national life, the government of Ghana in 1989 passed PNDC Law 218 to legalise small scale mining with the aim of checking illegal mining popularly called ‘galamsey’. 25 years down the line, illegal mining activities are at a record high with its corresponding rate of environmental deterioration. Under the law, small-scale miners need to be registered in order to work on land to which they have legal access, and are subject to regulation by either the Environmental Protection Agency or the Ghana Minerals Commission, or both.
Surprisingly, some mining communities such as Bogoso, Prestea, Mpohor, Benso and Damang, where some of the country's gold is embedded are saddled with illegal mining with impunity. Spread all over in mining communities across the country are open pits besieged by unskilled youth, confidently yet ignorantly digging for gold to sell to prospective buyers, without recourse to the dangers being created for themselves, the inhabitants and the environment.
Illegal mining in Ghana, particularly of gold, has become a major issue and raises concerns about water pollution and environmental damage. Last year, hundreds of people, most of them from China, were detained and some later deported as the government began enforcing a law barring foreign nationals from engaging in small-scale mining. As though to insult to our integrity the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yin said China took the issue ‘very seriously’ when he met Ghana’s Foreign Minister last year as part of his four day African tour.
The truth is that until the ABC or fundamentals of the problem is traced; no twist of logic can address it.
The question is how do foreigners get into the mining communities in the first place? Did they fly with those heavy equipments from China or they went straight to the mines without contacting any official? If so what relevance are the Chiefs and the district or municipal assemblies in these areas. Again there have been instances when security personnel cease equipment belonging to illegal miner,s yet no one is told of what is done to some of the seized equipment or where they are kept. Today lots of Ghanaian youth are being prevented from illegal mining without any clearly defined ways of livelihood for them as if we have suddenly forgotten that people can do anything to satisfy their survival instincts. It is disheartening to live in a country where laws seem to be loosely applied to foreigners and rather strictly enforced on nationals particularly the poor. For instance, in the midst of laws coherently codified and well printed in our statute book, a dozen of the Chinese were able to openly use excavators, move into communities and before one realises it, they wreck farmlands and turn local streams into mud puddles.
As far back as 1988 before the cedi was redenominated, the Environmental Protection Council quantified annual losses to the economy through environmental degradation as a result of mining at 41.7 billion cedis, the equivalent of 4% of total GDP. Only God knows the true figures today. Yet we cry that the economy is in crisis when in fact we have what it takes to make life comfortable for all. The impact of mining operations in Ghana both from the large and small scale miners are diverse and quite devastating, since it touches on the livelihood and the very existence of people. In a detailed journal, Akabzaa and Darimani, both PHD holders at the University of Ghana, reported in 2001 that large tracts of land for farming activities had been acquired by mining companies for large scale surface mining operations depriving mining communities of their source of livelihood. Additionally sporadic cyanide contamination of water bodies by large scale surface mining operations and mercury contaminations from small-scale and illegal mining activities are common features of mining communities.
How come that in Ghana the more people research and write, the more laws that are passed, the more equipment seized, the worse the issue of illegal mining becomes? People living in mining communities must rise and say no to illegal mining else they will be the first to suffer any calamity. Everybody in Ghana must be concern about illegal mining, because the effects will one day affect us all. Whether traditional rulers, politicians or so called big wigs are involved or not , should not be an excuse. What is wrong is wrong and must be treated as such.
BY GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST
Worried about the negative effects on mining in all spheres of national life, the government of Ghana in 1989 passed PNDC Law 218 to legalise small scale mining with the aim of checking illegal mining popularly called ‘galamsey’. 25 years down the line, illegal mining activities are at a record high with its corresponding rate of environmental deterioration. Under the law, small-scale miners need to be registered in order to work on land to which they have legal access, and are subject to regulation by either the Environmental Protection Agency or the Ghana Minerals Commission, or both.
Surprisingly, some mining communities such as Bogoso, Prestea, Mpohor, Benso and Damang, where some of the country's gold is embedded are saddled with illegal mining with impunity. Spread all over in mining communities across the country are open pits besieged by unskilled youth, confidently yet ignorantly digging for gold to sell to prospective buyers, without recourse to the dangers being created for themselves, the inhabitants and the environment.
Illegal mining in Ghana, particularly of gold, has become a major issue and raises concerns about water pollution and environmental damage. Last year, hundreds of people, most of them from China, were detained and some later deported as the government began enforcing a law barring foreign nationals from engaging in small-scale mining. As though to insult to our integrity the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yin said China took the issue ‘very seriously’ when he met Ghana’s Foreign Minister last year as part of his four day African tour.
The truth is that until the ABC or fundamentals of the problem is traced; no twist of logic can address it.
The question is how do foreigners get into the mining communities in the first place? Did they fly with those heavy equipments from China or they went straight to the mines without contacting any official? If so what relevance are the Chiefs and the district or municipal assemblies in these areas. Again there have been instances when security personnel cease equipment belonging to illegal miner,s yet no one is told of what is done to some of the seized equipment or where they are kept. Today lots of Ghanaian youth are being prevented from illegal mining without any clearly defined ways of livelihood for them as if we have suddenly forgotten that people can do anything to satisfy their survival instincts. It is disheartening to live in a country where laws seem to be loosely applied to foreigners and rather strictly enforced on nationals particularly the poor. For instance, in the midst of laws coherently codified and well printed in our statute book, a dozen of the Chinese were able to openly use excavators, move into communities and before one realises it, they wreck farmlands and turn local streams into mud puddles.
As far back as 1988 before the cedi was redenominated, the Environmental Protection Council quantified annual losses to the economy through environmental degradation as a result of mining at 41.7 billion cedis, the equivalent of 4% of total GDP. Only God knows the true figures today. Yet we cry that the economy is in crisis when in fact we have what it takes to make life comfortable for all. The impact of mining operations in Ghana both from the large and small scale miners are diverse and quite devastating, since it touches on the livelihood and the very existence of people. In a detailed journal, Akabzaa and Darimani, both PHD holders at the University of Ghana, reported in 2001 that large tracts of land for farming activities had been acquired by mining companies for large scale surface mining operations depriving mining communities of their source of livelihood. Additionally sporadic cyanide contamination of water bodies by large scale surface mining operations and mercury contaminations from small-scale and illegal mining activities are common features of mining communities.
How come that in Ghana the more people research and write, the more laws that are passed, the more equipment seized, the worse the issue of illegal mining becomes? People living in mining communities must rise and say no to illegal mining else they will be the first to suffer any calamity. Everybody in Ghana must be concern about illegal mining, because the effects will one day affect us all. Whether traditional rulers, politicians or so called big wigs are involved or not , should not be an excuse. What is wrong is wrong and must be treated as such.
BY GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST
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