A European Union (EU)-funded study has exposed major gaps in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, revealing that about 74 per cent of people engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining in three districts of the Savannah Region are unaware of the laws governing their activities.
The study, commissioned by Coginta and funded by the EU, also found that only 2.92 per cent of respondents held mining licences, while all soil samples tested contained cadmium levels above safety guidelines.
About 94 per cent of the samples also recorded mercury levels exceeding recommended limits.
The findings have raised concerns about the effectiveness of public education and law enforcement as illegal mining continues to threaten livelihoods, public health and the environment.
The three baseline studies, conducted under the EU-funded Gold for Good Project, covered the West Gonja Municipality, Bole District and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District.
They involved 953 respondents across 30 communities, with researchers mapping 94 mining sites and conducting environmental, socio-economic and security assessments.
The report found that mining remained an important source of income for communities, with households in mining areas earning nearly six times more than those in communities without mining activities.
However, it noted that the economic benefits came with serious environmental and security risks, making efforts to tackle illegal mining more complex. Read More.
BY ENOCH NTIAMOAH SIAW
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