Kyebi: Illegal miners have reportedly taken over more than 50 acres of land directly behind the Kyebi office of environmental NGO, A-Rocha Ghana, leaving nearby buildings at risk of collapse.
According to Ghana Web, the invasion, taking place in the Abuakwa South Municipality, involves more than 70 miners operating at least five excavators and other heavy equipment. The report indicates that mining activities have continued day and night, transforming the area into a high-intensity illegal mining zone.
Residents have expressed concerns over persistent noise, dust pollution, and extensive land degradation resulting from the operations. Parts of the A-Rocha Ghana office and nearby private homes are reportedly left 'hanging' due to erosion caused by the mining.
A visiting European Union delegation, led by Ambassador Rune Skinnebach, toured the affected sites alongside journalists and police officers to assess the environmental governance challenges linked to illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. 'Before coming here to this forest in the Kibi area, I'd heard a lot about galamsey. Today we have visited a couple of sites and seen what it does to nature,' Skinnebach said. He highlighted the complexities of the galamsey issue, citing weak enforcement and governance failures as central to the crisis.
Skinnebach warned of the grave consequences of illegal mining, particularly the pollution of water bodies, noting that 65 percent of Ghana's water bodies are now polluted due to galamsey activities. He also linked illegal mining to broader concerns, including public health, corruption, governance, and security risks. The ambassador urged Ghana to adopt long-term and sustainable strategies backed by stronger regulation and effective enforcement to address the issue.