The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of TUC-Ghana has raised alarm over the devastating impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on agriculture, warning that the practice is pushing the country toward a severe food security crisis.
In a statement titled “Agriculture on its Knees”, GAWU said Ghana is facing a looming food pandemic as galamsey continues to destroy farmlands, pollute water bodies, and threaten livelihoods across the country.
Citing data from ResearchGate, the union revealed that there are over 7,470 galamsey sites nationwide, which have already led to the destruction of about 2.5 million hectares of forest reserves and more than 130,000 acres of cocoa and oil palm farms.
According to the statement, the environmental and economic damage from illegal mining has caused Ghana to lose over US$4 billion annually through gold smuggling and the destruction of farmlands.
GAWU General Secretary, Comrade Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, said the situation has made agriculture unattractive, threatening jobs, health, and food production.
He warned that continued inaction by the government could worsen unemployment, food shortages, and health risks linked to mercury and cyanide pollution.
The union has therefore called on the government to declare a state of emergency to combat galamsey and take immediate steps to reclaim destroyed lands, restore polluted water bodies, and prosecute those involved in illegal mining.
GAWU also urged the government to invest in alternative livelihood programs, provide medical screening for affected communities, and intensify enforcement measures to protect agricultural lands.
Source: AdomOnline
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