We Have Lost About 25m Hectares Of Forest Reserve To Illegal And Uncontrolled Mining GAWU

The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has expressed concern about the effects of illegal mining (Galamsey) on farmlands.

Members of the Union fear that the country risks food shortage if the trend continues.

“Food security has become one of the scariest looming pandemics in Ghana. This has been necessitated by several obstacles, including the galamsey menace of which agriculture is the most affected sector, plaguing the nation with little to no efforts by the state apparatus,” GAWU said in a press release dated September 16.

“Galamscy remains one of the major threats to agriculture, exposing the whole nation to obstacles of scarcity and expensive food and crops with damning consequences of climate alter, health implications for citizen, and our unborn children.
 
“With over seven thousand four hundred and seventy (7,470) cluster categories of Galamsey in the country, according to ResearchGate, galamscy has led to the destruction of farmlands, water bodies exposing several informal workers to job and income insecurities across the country. Ghana has lost about 2.5 million hectares of forest reserve to illegal and uncontrolled mining. This is a huge threat to biodiversity,” they lamented.

GAWU noted that ” Galamsey remains an extremely dangerous and treacherous type of illegal mining activity which has forced several farmers to give up their farmlands either through coercive scans or out of frustration of no hope in our systems and structures put in plats to fight it. The negative effect of illegal and uncontrolled mining on Cocoa is unprecedented.”

They cautioned that, “The environmental impact of galamsey has far- reaching consequences on ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. The vegetation is stripped away along with the topsoil, leading to sop loss and unfavourable micro-climatic conditions for cocoa cultivation. This degradation of natural resources undermines the potential for sustainable economic growth, particularly in sectors dependent on a healthy environment such as agriculture and forestry.”

Read the full statement below;
AGRICULTURE ON ITS KNEES! BY THE GENERAL AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

UNION (GAWU) OF TUC-GHANA ON GALAMSEY

FOOD SECURITY has become one of the scariest looming pandemics in Ghana. This has been necessitated by several obstacles including the galamsey menace of which agriculture is the most affected sector plaguing the nation with little to no efforts by the state apparatus. Galamsey remains one of the major threats to agriculture, exposing the whole nation to obstacles of scarcity and expensive food and crops with damning consequences of climate alter, health implications for citizenry and our unborn children.

With over seven thousand four hundred and seventy (7,470) cluster categories of Galamsey in the country. According to ResearchGate, galamsey has led to the destruction of farm lands, water bodies exposing several informal workers to job and income insecurities across the country.

Ghana has lost about 2.5 million hectares of forest reserve to illegal and uncontrolled mining. This is a huge threat to biodiversity. Galamsey remains an extremely dangerous and treacherous type of illegal mining activity which
has forced several farmers to give up their farm lands either through coercive means or out of frustration of no hope in our systems and structures put in place to fight it. The negative effect of illegal and uncontrolled mining on Cocoa is unprecedented. The environmental impact of galamsey has far- reaching consequences on ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. The vegetation is stripped away along with the topsoil, leading to crop loss and unfavourable micro-climatic conditions for cocoa cultivation. This degradation of natural resources undermines the potential for sustainable economic growth, particularly in sectors dependent on a healthy environment, such as agriculture and forestry.

In almost every rural household in Ghana, cocoa or oil palm are the most common cash crop cultivated. However, today, Ghana’s place in producing Cocoa and oil palm is disappointing not because of our inability to do so, but as a result of encroachment and farmers being forced to leave their farms unwillingly to make way for galamsey activities in several cocoa and oil palm growing areas. Currently, over 100000 acres of cocoa farms have been destroyed and over 30000 acres of oil palm plantations have been destroyed. The few farmers who are sacrificing to produce food to feed the country and for export have to also deal with obstacles related to irrigation as water bodies remain polluted and unsafe if exposed to crops The prevalence of illegal mining activities in Ghana has undermined investor and market confidence in the agriculture sector. This trend has also affected the oil palm and rubber sub sectors resulting in low prices in the international market and Ghana losing out on foreign direct investments which plays a crucial role in driving economic growth. In addition, Ghana loses about USD 2.3 billion annually to illegal and uncontrolled mining through gold smuggling and over USD 2 billion through lost of cocoa farms.

Galamsey not only affect our economy through the declining production and activities in the agricultural sector but also poses several health and safety hazards and risks to Ghanaian citizens as our farms are exposed to all the chemicals used in polluting our water bodies. These threats may affect women’s fertility and their unborn children as well as babies for lactating mothers.

As the country clamor to create more jobs for the youth and with the several policy interventions put in place to boost agriculture in Ghana like Planting for food and jobs, youth in agriculture amongst others, we risk making the sector redundant and unattractive if farmers and plantations have to risk land grabbing and forceful removal from their lands.

Looking on without action from government means Ghana risking an increase in unemployment rate, health and safety obstacles for citizens and communities, food insecurity and loss of livelihoods for many vulnerable groups and individuals.

As an Agricultural Union operating within the sector most affected by Galamsey activities, the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) as a matter of urgency joins Organized Labour and that of other Civil Society Organizations to call on government to declare a state of emergency to salvage the whole country from the galamsey menace and demand immediate action from government as follows;

1. The President of the Republic to act to salvage the remains of our lands, air, water bodies
and HUMAN LIVES without further delay.

2. Government to prioritize the reclamation of destroyed lands and the restoration of
polluted water bodies.
3. The immediate revocation of LI 2462.
4. Arrest and prosecute persons/groups destroying cocoa farms and oil palm plantations and
other agricultural lands for purposes of galamsey
5. Government to support and invest in alternative livelihood that provide sustainable
employment opportunities for these individuals, particularly in agriculture.
We call on all agricultural establishments and Civil Society Organizations in the agricultural
value chain to join in the fight against this menace.
sgd
ANDREWS ADDOQUAYE TAGOE
GENERAL SECREATARY (GAWU) of TUC- GHANA

# Stop galamsey, rescue our agricultural lands/water bodies, prosecute perpetuators#

Dated: Monday, 16th September,2024

Contact: 0244985059/0244980241