Abstract: Illegal small-scale gold mining in Ghana is commonly called galamsey and has expanded rapidly over the last two decades. While it provides short-term income to many households, galamsey imposes severe environmental, health, economic, and social costs on the communities where it occurs. This paper synthesizes recent empirical studies, government and NGO reports, and investigative journalism to analyze the multi-dimensional effects of illegal mining on Ghanaian communities. It includes Ghana-specific case studies (Ankobra, Pra/Birim, and Obuasi), documents human impacts (including child labour, occupational hazards, mercury contamination, and water scarcity), and assesses policy responses. The paper concludes with evidence-based recommendations for integrated interventions that prioritize community health, environmental rehabilitation, and sustainable livelihoods.
Introduction
Ghana is one of Africa’s largest gold producers, and gold has long played a central role in its economy, livelihoods, and national identity. However, over the past two decades, illegal artisanal and small-scale gold mining, commonly known as galamsey, has grown from localized subsistence activities into a widespread national crisis affecting most regions. Recent reports and sector reviews suggest that well over 100,000, and in some cases more than a million, people are involved directly or indirectly in informal mining, making it a phenomenon with significant social and economic impact (The Guardian, 2024; Delve/World Bank, 2023). The factors driving the expansion of small-scale gold mining (galamsey) are numerous and interconnected. High global gold prices and relatively easy access to artisanal mining create strong market incentives. At the same time, rural poverty, decreasing agricultural incomes, and limited formal employment opportunities push households towards the quick cash from alluvial gold. Weak governance, including gaps in licensing, corruption, and weak enforcement, allow informal mining activities to thrive (Delve/World Bank, 2023; Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, 2024).
These factors are further intensified by seasonal and migratory labour patterns that create boom-town conditions, attracting domestic and cross-border migrants to mining areas. While galamsey provides short-term income for many households, the activity often operates outside environmental and labour regulations, leading to significant harm for local communities. Documented impacts include large-scale deforestation, the creation of deep, unrehabilitated pits, heavy sedimentation and river turbidity, and the widespread use of mercury and other harmful chemicals that pollute water and food sources (WaterAid, 2024; environmental monitoring studies). These environmental changes quickly translate into human costs, such as contaminated drinking water and fish, elevated levels of toxic exposure in both children and adults, loss of cocoa and food-producing land, and a rise in hazardous informal employment, including child labour (WaterAid, 2024; Adebote, 2025). The economic and governance repercussions of illegal mining extend beyond local communities. Studies suggest that illegal mining contributes significantly to the country’s gold production, yet it results in substantial loss of tax revenue and export earnings for the state. These revenue losses hinder the government’s ability to fund environmental restoration, healthcare services, and alternative livelihood initiatives (The Guardian, 2024; Reuters, 2025). Although enforcement by task forces and the seizure of equipment have occasionally disrupted mining activities, such measures have for the most part failed to offer lasting solutions and have at times sparked violent clashes or relocated miners to different areas (AP, 2025; Botchwey, 2025).
Considering the magnitude, persistence, and multifaceted impact of illegal mining, this paper employs an interdisciplinary approach integrating environmental science, public health, socio-economic analysis, and governance studies to explore how illegal mining affects the lives, health, and prospects of Ghanaian communities. The case studies examined in this paper, such as the Ankobra, Pra/Birim basins, and Obuasi, reveal recurring patterns from environmental degradation to human hardship. The policy analysis further highlights the need for integrated strategies that combine formalization, health interventions, water protection, livelihood alternatives, and accountable enforcement to safeguard both people and the environment.
Methods
This is a narrative literature review emphasizing Ghanaian sources and recent (2018–2025) empirical work, NGO reports, and reputable news investigations. Searches were conducted of peer-reviewed literature, institutional reports (e.g., Delve/World Bank), and mainstream reporting to identify evidence on environmental contamination, health outcomes, socio-economic changes, and policy responses related to galamsey in Ghana. Priority was given to studies measuring contaminants (mercury, lead), water quality, documented fatalities, and community impacts in named river basins (e.g., Ankobra, Pra, Birim) and towns affected by illegal mining (e.g., Obuasi). Where possible, Ghana-specific quantitative findings were extracted and synthesized (Adebote, 2025; Musah, 2024; Bedu-Addo, 2024; WaterAid, 2024).
Background: Why galamsey Persists in Ghana
The continued prevalence of galamsey in Ghana highlights the intertwining of structural, economic, and political factors. While the practice existed prior to independence, its scale has significantly increased since the 1990s due to economic liberalization, rising gold prices, and the expansion of informal labour markets (Hilson, 2017). Currently, illegal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) serves as both a survival mechanism for marginalized communities and a profitable business sustained by weak regulatory frameworks and global market demand.
Poverty, unemployment, and survival strategies
Rural poverty, high youth unemployment, and the seasonal nature of smallholder farming create strong motivations for households to engage in informal mining. For many displaced farmers and unemployed youth, galamsey offers one of the few sources of quick cash, despite the risks and instability involved (Hilson, 2017; ISS Africa, 2024). In cocoa-growing regions, declining crop yields due to pests, diseases, and climate change have pushed farmers into mining to supplement or replace their agricultural income (The Guardian, 2024).
Global gold prices and local opportunity
International gold price increases have made small-scale mining more profitable, drawing both domestic and foreign participants. As gold prices rose during the 2000s and 2010s, informal gold prospecting expanded throughout Ghana’s river systems, with miners using excavators and dredges to extract shallow deposits (Delve/World Bank, 2023). The profitability of unregulated gold sales, frequently moving through informal networks and smuggling channels, maintains the demand for galamsey production (Reuters, 2025).
Weak enforcement and regulatory gaps
Despite Ghana’s legal framework allowing for small-scale mining through licensing, many miners find the process bureaucratic, costly, or inaccessible, leading to widespread unlicensed operations. Limited enforcement capacity, including underfunded district offices, scarce monitoring equipment, and corruption, undermines accountability (ISS Africa, 2024; Botchwey, 2025). Enforcement efforts, such as military task forces, often result in miners relocating once operations conclude, perpetuating a cycle of displacement rather than resolving the issue (AP, 2025).
Political patronage and complicity
Local and national politics complicate the situation. Politicians have been accused of protecting galamsey operators in exchange for financial support or votes, especially in areas with heavy mining activity. This patronage dynamic weakens enforcement and makes illegal mining resistant to top-down bans or interventions (ISS Africa, 2024). In some cases, local chiefs and community leaders also provide informal access to land for miners, prioritizing immediate financial gains over long-term sustainability (Hilson, 2017).
Migration and transnational dimensions
The appeal of galamsey goes beyond Ghana’s borders. Migrant workers from neighbouring countries like Burkina Faso, Togo, and Nigeria often join informal mining groups, attracted by the prospect of earning a living. Furthermore, reports indicate that foreign entities, especially from China, are involved in supplying machinery, capital, and technical skills, which intensify the environmental impact and make these operations more difficult to control (The Guardian, 2024; Botchwey, 2025).
Community acceptance and cultural normalization
In many communities, galamsey is considered a normalized part of the local economy and culture. It may be viewed by families as a rite of passage for young men or as a crucial source of household income. The immediate benefits of earnings often overshadow the long-term environmental damage and health risks. This social acceptance makes it challenging for state actors to either delegitimize or entirely ban the practice (Hilson, 2017).
Environmental Impacts
Deforestation and Landscape Degradation
Illegal mining in Ghana has rapidly contributed to deforestation and changes in the landscape over the last twenty years. Galamsey often involves removing vegetation and topsoil, digging open pits, and using bulldozers and excavators in ecologically sensitive regions. In the Western Region, satellite images have shown significant forest loss in Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Wassa Amenfi districts, where dense cocoa farms and forest reserves have turned into damaged mining areas (Nti, 2024). In the Ashanti Region, abandoned pits near Obuasi and Amansie Central have left behind craters filled with still water, which serve as mosquito breeding sites and result in the permanent loss of cultivable land (Bedu-Addo, 2024). These activities change the land’s shape, interfere with drainage systems, and raise the likelihood of soil erosion and flooding. Communities along the Offin River have reported farmland being washed away by floodwaters following galamsey dredging that weakened the riverbanks, highlighting the connection between environmental damage and human vulnerability (Bedu-Addo, 2024).
Water Pollution, Turbidity, and Sedimentation
Water pollution is arguably the most visible consequence of galamsey. Rivers in southern Ghana, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, and Birim, which were once key sources of drinking water, fishing, and irrigation, have become significantly contaminated with suspended sediments from dredging and washing activities. Residents report that the rivers have turned “milky brown,” reducing sunlight penetration and harming aquatic ecosystems (Nti, 2024). High turbidity has been linked to a decline in fish populations, threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities downstream (Bedu-Addo, 2024). For instance, farmers in the Central Region along the Pra basin have noted that irrigation canals are clogging with sediment, lowering crop yields. In addition, the Ghana Water Company has had to suspend operations at treatment plants on the Birim and Densu rivers due to excessive sediment and chemical levels beyond their purification capacity, forcing urban residents to depend on costly sachet water (WaterAid, 2024).
Mercury and Heavy Metal Contamination
The continued use of mercury in artisanal mining persists despite national prohibitions. Miners apply mercury to collect fine gold particles, then heat the amalgam, which releases toxic vapors into the atmosphere. Mercury spills directly into rivers and transforms into methylmercury, which accumulates in fish and enters the human food chain. In the Ankobra and Tano river basins, recent studies found mercury levels in sediments and tilapia tissues surpassing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) established safety limits (Adebote, 2025; Asamoah, 2025). Lead and arsenic from disturbed ore deposits have also been identified in soil and water near galamsey sites in the Western Region, raising concerns over long-term neurological and developmental impacts on children exposed to these contaminants. Significantly, these heavy metals do not break down over time and persist in ecosystems for decades, with enduring consequences for health and food security (Asamoah, 2025).
Health Impacts
Occupational Injuries and Fatalities
Galamsey is a highly hazardous activity due to its informal and unregulated nature. Open pits are frequently dug without proper reinforcement, resulting in collapses that can trap or kill miners. In 2023, Ghanaian media reported several fatal incidents in Amansie West and Tarkwa, where dozens of miners lost their lives in pit collapses during the rainy season (Musah, 2024). Drownings are also common in river dredging operations when makeshift rafts capsize. These accidents place a significant economic and emotional strain on families, often leaving widows and children without steady income sources. Unlike formal sector workers, galamsey miners usually lack insurance or compensation, further entrenching cycles of poverty in affected households.
Chronic Toxic Exposures and Community Health
Beyond acute incidents, communities near galamsey sites face ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals. Biomonitoring studies in the gold-mining areas of Ashanti and Western Ghana have identified elevated levels of mercury in the urine and hair of both children and adults, indicating long-term exposure (Nti, 2024; Adebote, 2025). These exposures are associated with neurological issues, kidney problems, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Heavy metals like lead and cadmium, released from ore and tailings, also contribute to developmental delays and chronic health conditions. For example, in Dunkwa-on-Offin, children living near contaminated water sources had significantly higher blood lead levels compared to those in non-mining areas (Asamoah, 2025). These exposures gradually deteriorate community health, with their effects often becoming evident years later.
Water, Sanitation, and Infectious Disease Risks
The decline in the quality of Ghana’s rivers has led to a public health crisis concerning water accessibility. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has shut down several treatment plants along the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim rivers due to the high level of pollution making treatment unfeasible. In 2024, WaterAid reported that the availability of clean water in parts of the southern coast, including Cape Coast and Sekondi-Takoradi, declined by up to 75% due to contamination from galamsey activities (WaterAid, 2024). For hundreds of thousands of residents, this meant depending on untreated surface water or costly alternatives. The access to contaminated and inconsistent water sources increases the risk of diarrheal diseases, cholera outbreaks, and inadequate sanitation. In peri-urban areas like Kumasi and Takoradi, households reported spending over 15% of their monthly income on safe water following the GWCL shutdowns, reflecting both health and economic challenges.
Socio-Economic Consequences
Short-Term Income, Long-Term Livelihood Loss
For many rural households, galamsey offers quick financial returns that significantly outstrip daily earnings from farming. A single day’s work in informal mining can generate 100–200 Ghanaian cedis, compared to the lower returns from subsistence cocoa or cassava farming (Nti, 2024). However, this short-term gain conceals long-term damage to livelihoods. In cocoa-growing regions of the Western and Ashanti Regions, galamsey has destroyed thousands of hectares of productive farmland. Farmers in Wassa Amenfi and Amansie West report that cocoa trees have been uprooted and replaced with pits and tailings, rendering the land infertile and unrecoverable for decades (The Guardian, 2024). Fishing communities along the Pra and Ankobra rivers have also experienced income decline due to sedimentation and contamination that have reduced fish stocks. As a fisher from Shama in the Western Region told researchers, “The gold feeds us today, but the river no longer feeds us tomorrow” (Nti, 2024). These examples highlight how reliance on galamsey increases dependency on unstable mining wages while undermining sustainable economic bases.
Child Labour and Education Disruption
Illegal mining areas in Ghana often involve children in hazardous and chemically dangerous tasks. Research indicates that children as young as 10 are involved in activities such as digging pits, carrying heavy loads, crushing ore, or handling mercury in amalgamation processes (Sulemana, 2025). In Dunkwa-on-Offin, NGOs have noted that boys frequently quit school to help support their families through mining activities, while girls are often engaged in related tasks like selling food at mining sites or washing ore (Musah, 2024). Prolonged exposure to mercury and dust causes lasting health issues, and the disruption of education limits the development of human capital. Teachers in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem district have reported significant declines in school attendance during periods of increased gold mining, with classrooms often left half empty as children work near mining pits. Over time, this perpetuates cycles of poverty, as children who miss education for immediate income are less likely to access formal employment and more likely to continue relying on mining as adults.
Informal Economies and Loss of Public Revenue
Galamsey’s informal nature leads to most transactions going unrecorded, resulting in the Ghanaian state missing out on royalties, taxes, and foreign exchange earnings. A World Bank (Delve) report noted that informal mining constitutes a significant part of Ghana’s gold production, with billions in potential revenue lost through smuggling and untaxed sales (Delve/World Bank, 2023). Investigative reports from 2025 revealed that Ghana lost an estimated US$11 billion to gold smuggling, much of which is connected to informal galamsey operations routed through the United Arab Emirates (Reuters, 2025). For instance, in Tarkwa and Obuasi, local buyers purchase gold directly from miners and funnel it through informal channels, circumventing the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC). These losses deprive the state of funds that could be used for health care, education, and environmental clean-up. At the same time, communities suffer the environmental consequences of mining without reaping corresponding development benefits.
Social Conflict and Displacement
Competition for land access has led to heightened tensions within mining communities. Farmers frequently see their land seized or bought under pressure by galamsey operators, resulting in disputes and community division. In Wassa Amenfi, cocoa farmers confronted miners over the damage to their plantations, while in Obuasi, conflicts between AngloGold Ashanti and informal miners escalated into violent confrontations in recent years (The Guardian, 2024). These conflicts often result in intimidation, injuries, or displacement. Women and children are particularly affected: when farmland is lost, women who depend on food crops for family sustenance are compelled into risky trading or low-wage mining support jobs. In addition to physical displacement, communities suffer from psychological trauma and instability, weakening social unity.
Case Studies: Ghanaian Examples
1. Ankobra Estuary (Western Region) Fish and Sediment Contamination
The Ankobra River and its estuary in Ghana’s Western Region have become a symbol of how galamsey pollutes aquatic ecosystems and food chains. A 2025 environmental study collected samples from water, sediments, and the commonly consumed estuarine catfish Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus. The findings showed high levels of mercury and lead, surpassing WHO and FAO safety standards (Adebote, 2025). Mercury is highly persistent and accumulates in the food chain; its transformation into methylmercury increases exposure risks for both fish and human consumers. Local fishing communities such as Sanwoma and Eziome have reported significant drops in fish catches, with some fish showing visible injuries and unusual behavior. People who rely on fish as a main protein source are now exposed to toxins through their diet, raising concerns about long-term neurological and developmental health impacts. Reports describe an increase in health issues such as skin irritation, headaches, and memory problems, with residents linking these to contaminated water and fish (Adebote, 2025). This case highlights the direct link between galamsey activities, environmental contamination, disruption of livelihoods, and health risks within the community.
2. Pra and Birim River Basins (River Pollution and Agricultural Loss).
The Pra and Birim river basins, spanning the Central, Eastern, and Ashanti Regions, serve as a well-documented example of the multi-layered impacts of galamsey. These rivers have historically supported agriculture, potable water supply, and eco-tourism. However, intensive dredging and channel diversion by galamsey operators have transformed parts of the rivers into sediment-choked, chemically polluted waterways (Bedu-Addo, 2024). Farmers along the Birim, particularly in Fanteakwa and Atiwa Districts, have reported the loss of irrigated farmland to siltation and flooding caused by disrupted drainage.
Cocoa farms in the Pra Basin have been destroyed by invasive mining pits, threatening Ghana’s global cocoa image and export earnings. Turbidity levels often force the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to shut down water treatment plants at Daboase and Oda, cutting off potable water for hundreds of thousands of households (Musah, 2024). The economic consequences are felt nationally: the loss of cocoa undermines foreign exchange earnings, while tourism opportunities such as river cruises and eco-parks suffer reputational damage due to degraded landscapes. Communities in Twifo Praso and Dunkwa-on-Offin describe daily struggles to secure clean water, often resorting to expensive sachet water purchases, which increase household financial burdens (Bedu-Addo, 2024). These dynamics make the Pra and Birim basins critical sites where environmental degradation translates directly into agricultural decline, public health challenges, and economic insecurity.
3. Obuasi Area (Ashanti Region), Clashes and Concession Incursions
Obuasi has long been a central area of Ghana’s gold production, dominated by the multinational company AngloGold Ashanti’s extensive mining concession. In recent years, however, illegal miners have begun entering these concession areas, resulting in violent confrontations with security forces. In 2024, reports documented armed clashes between miners and private security, which led to several civilian deaths and increased community tensions (AP News, 2024; The Guardian, 2024).
These conflicts reflect the underlying tension between large-scale, capital-intensive mining and artisanal mining practices. Many of the artisanal miners in Obuasi are former employees or dependents of AngloGold who were displaced during job cuts and mines restructuring. With few alternative employment options, they have turned to informal mining within the concession areas, often justifying their actions as reclaiming ancestral or community rights to the land (AP News, 2025). The struggle over access and ownership has frequently escalated into violence, revealing the weakness of the state’s ability to mediate between multinational corporations, local communities, and artisanal miners. Beyond the immediate violence, these clashes raise human rights concerns. Communities claim that security operations involve arbitrary arrests, harassment, and property damage. At the same time, miners face the risk of fatal accidents in unsafe areas within the concession. The Obuasi situation highlights the human toll of poorly managed transitions between formal and informal mining and the urgent need for inclusive governance that balances corporate interests with community livelihoods.
Policy Responses and Their Effectiveness
Formalization and Technical Assistance
A common approach to addressing illegal mining in Ghana involves formalization, which seeks to integrate artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) into the legal system through affordable licensing, training, and technological support. Often associated with the adoption of mercury-free methods like gravity concentration and borax-based smelting, this strategy aims to mitigate environmental and health risks (Delve/World Bank, 2023). In principle, these measures can help protect the environment, boost miners’ incomes, and enable the state to collect taxes and royalties.
Ghana has also introduced initiatives such as the Community Mining Scheme (CMS), launched in 2019 and expanded in 2021, which seeks to formalize ASM by setting aside designated zones for small-scale mining activities (Nti, 2024). While the CMS has led to some success in reducing conflicts between miners and security forces, its effectiveness has been inconsistent. Critics highlight that the licensing process is still bureaucratic and susceptible to corruption, making it difficult for the poorest miners to access. Additionally, politically connected elites often dominate the registered concessions. Without complementary livelihood support, some miners continue to operate illegally outside CMS-designated areas, undermining the goals of formalization.
Enforcement and Task-Force Approaches
Successive Ghanaian administrations have implemented military-style operations to suppress galamsey, notably Operation Vanguard in 2017 and Operation Halt from 2021 to 2023. These measures targeted the destruction of machinery, confiscation of equipment, and removal of miners from unauthorized sites. While these actions led to temporary site closures, they have not effectively eliminated the practice of galamsey. Often, miners who were displaced moved to new areas, extending environmental harm to previously untouched regions (GAAS, 2024). The aggressive methods used by security forces have also led to reports of violence, human rights violations, and fatalities in communities such as Obuasi and Tarkwa (AP, 2025). This underscores a key limitation: enforcement alone cannot provide a sustainable solution to galamsey without tackling root causes like rural unemployment, poor governance, and high demand for gold. Scholars and civil society organizations now support a more comprehensive strategy that integrates enforcement with community involvement, legal changes, and alternative income opportunities.
Water Protection, Health Screening, and Remediation
Illegal mining has severely impacted Ghana’s freshwater resources, leading to urgent demands for water protection initiatives. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has frequently closed treatment facilities in areas like Central and Western Ghana because of high turbidity and mercury pollution (WaterAid, 2024). In response, NGOs and public health organizations have suggested comprehensive strategies: (a) deploying advanced filtration and treatment technologies in affected zones; (b) performing regular health monitoring of communities, especially children and expectant mothers, for mercury and lead exposure; and (c) repairing abandoned pits that act as breeding areas for mosquitoes and pose drowning risks. The government has committed to restoring degraded land via the National Alternative Employment and Reclamation Programme (NAERP), introduced in 2021, which merges land restoration with employment in agroforestry and aquaculture. Nonetheless, progress has been limited, with restored land still accounting for only a small portion of the vast areas degraded by illegal mining activities (Musah, 2024). Without long-term investment, environmental remediation remains more symbolic than meaningful.
Supply-Chain Measures and Traceability
Another policy frontier is the gold supply chain. As Ghana is one of Africa’s leading gold producers, much of its artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) output enters international markets through informal routes. Traceability and certification programs seek to deter illegal mining by ensuring that refiners and exporters source gold exclusively from verified, legal operations (Delve/World Bank, 2023). These efforts involve cooperation with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and regional initiatives under the African Mining Vision. However, scaling up traceability remains challenging in Ghana due to weak institutional oversight, limited digital infrastructure, and persistent smuggling networks, especially along its borders with Togo and Burkina Faso. Additionally, without a clear price premium for certified gold, small-scale miners have little motivation to leave the informal channels that provide quick cash. Civil society groups emphasize that traceability must be combined with economic incentives, such as higher purchase prices, microcredit, and training, to make compliance more appealing.
Recommendations
Practical Formalization
The initial step is to develop a practical formalization strategy that genuinely involves artisanal and small-scale miners, rather than excluding them. Licensing processes should be simplified, affordable, and transparent to discourage miners from operating informally. Licensing should be linked to mandatory environmental management plans and technical training initiatives, with a focus on mercury-free processing techniques such as borax smelting or gravity separation. These measures can help reduce environmental pollution while also enhancing miners’ productivity and income. Certified gold producers must have guaranteed market access, including collaboration with refiners and jewellers prepared to offer higher prices for responsibly sourced gold (Delve/World Bank, 2023). Without these incentives, formalization remains likely to be an administrative process with limited real participation.
Community Water Protection and Health Programs
Given the critical role of water in addressing the galamsey crisis in Ghana, there is an urgent need for targeted investments in community water protection and public health initiatives. This includes the construction or modernization of water treatment facilities in severely affected basins like the Pra, Birim, and Ankobra, along with enhanced monitoring systems for turbidity and chemical pollution (WaterAid, 2024). Regular biomonitoring for mercury and lead exposure must be introduced, especially among vulnerable groups such as children, women of reproductive age, and miners. Community health clinics require more resources and training to effectively diagnose and manage toxic exposure, with established referral systems for serious cases. These measures would reduce immediate health risks while building public confidence in government and health institutions (Adebote, 2025).
Targeted Rehabilitation and Land Reclamation
Large-scale rehabilitation and reclamation programs must address the landscape scars left behind by galamsey. Abandoned pits not only destroy farmland but also pose drowning hazards and serve as mosquito breeding sites. Ghana should expand existing land reclamation initiatives into a payment-for-ecosystem-services model, where former miners are employed in reforestation, soil stabilization, and wetland restoration (Nti, 2024). This approach would simultaneously restore degraded ecosystems and provide transitional employment for displaced miners. Reclaimed land could be repurposed for agroforestry, aquaculture, or eco-tourism, aligning environmental goals with livelihood diversification.
Alternative Livelihoods and Social Protection
The persistence of galamsey reflects limited economic opportunities in rural Ghana. To reduce dependence on illegal mining, viable alternative livelihoods must be scaled up. Investments in agricultural intensifications such as irrigation systems, improved seed varieties, and access to credit would help farmers regain competitiveness in regions where cocoa and food crop production have been undermined by mining (The Guardian, 2024). Complementary interventions could include agroforestry enterprises, vocational training in trades (mechanics, carpentry, masonry), and small-business development programs. Social protection measures such as targeted cash transfers could provide a safety net for households during transitions away from galamsey, reducing the “survival push” into illegal mining.
Transparent Enforcement and Accountability
While enforcement remains necessary, it must be recalibrated to balance deterrence with human rights protections. Priority should be given to dismantling organized criminal networks, foreign syndicates, and large-scale environmental violators, rather than indiscriminately targeting vulnerable miners. To avoid past abuses, enforcement operations should be accompanied by strict oversight mechanisms, such as requiring officers to wear body cameras, establishing civilian review boards, and ensuring transparent reporting of confiscated assets (AP News, 2025; GAAS, 2024). Such accountability measures would not only reduce abuse of rights but also build legitimacy for state interventions in communities often distrustful of security forces.
Market and International Measures
Finally, Ghana must leverage market-based and international partnerships to reduce demand for unverified gold. Collaborating with trading partners in Europe, Asia, and North America to enforce traceability protocols would restrict the export of illegally mined gold and create incentives for miners to operate within certified supply chains (Delve/World Bank, 2023). Ghana can align its systems with international standards such as the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and the London Bullion Market Association’s (LBMA) Responsible Gold Guidance. Donor support and technical assistance will be crucial to provide digital tools for traceability and to subsidize certification costs for small-scale miners. In the long run, such measures would shift market dynamics away from informality and towards sustainability.
Conclusion
Illegal artisanal and small-scale mining, or galamsey, has become one of the most pressing development and governance challenges in Ghana. While it provides short-term economic relief for marginalized households, it simultaneously erodes the ecological and public health systems that sustain long-term wellbeing. The evidence from Ankobra, Pra and Birim basins, and Obuasi highlights the recurring impacts: polluted rivers and contaminated fish stocks, deforested landscapes and abandoned pits, widespread occupational hazards, disrupted schooling, and violent clashes between miners, communities, and security forces. These harms illustrate that galamsey is not simply an environmental issue but a multidimensional crisis spanning health, livelihoods, governance, and human rights. The persistence of galamsey reflects a policy paradox: enforcement alone cannot succeed where structural poverty, high gold demand, and weak governance continue to push and pull people into informal mining. At the same time, leaving the sector unregulated threatens Ghana’s agriculture, water security, and human capital development. Breaking this cycle requires integrated and inclusive policy responses.
As this paper has argued, such responses must combine practical and accessible formalization, targeted water protection and health screening, large-scale land reclamation, viable alternative livelihoods, and transparent enforcement. Ultimately, any durable solution must be centred on the health, rights, and agency of affected communities. Aligning incentives across local households, state institutions, and global markets is essential: miners need viable economic alternatives, communities need restored environments and public health protections, and Ghana’s state needs to capture fair revenues while preserving ecological integrity. If these elements can be harmonized, Ghana has the opportunity not only to reverse the human and ecological toll of illegal mining but also to transform artisanal mining into a regulated, sustainable contributor to inclusive development.
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WaterAid. (2024). WaterAid demands immediate halt to illegal mining as water supply drops 75% due to pollution. WaterAid. Retrieved from https://www.wateraid.org/uk/media/wateraid-demands-immediate-halt-to-illegal-mining on 05 July, 2025
