Increasingly, Ghana has been caught on the wrong side of mining activities from almost every corner of the country. Week in and out, news filters in about pollution of streams which serve as sources of drinking water to many, death of miners from collapsing pits and huge pits that have been left uncovered from excavation activities.
In Ghana, there are over 300 registered small-scale mining groups and they constitute a major source of employment especially for small-scale gold and diamond miners, and contribute some foreign exchange to Ghana’s economy. However, there are a lot more of such groups that are not registered, often referred to as ‘galamsey’ engaged in gold mining.
Small-scale mining is often poverty driven and located in rural areas. Miners are generally unskilled and earn little. Individuals may be involved in a number of different types of mining activity: Gold or diamond rush, this is characterized by unstable communities, which are often saddled with environmental degradation from crude methods used. In Ghana, the Birim and Densu Rivers in the Eastern Region are examples of rivers that serve as a source of drinking water for several communities but have been gravely affected by small-scale mining activities.
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