The fight against illegal mining has taken a new turn as farmers voice grave concerns about its devastating impact on agriculture and food security.
At a press conference organized by the Coalition Against Galamsey Ghana, the Acting Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Bismarck Owusu Nortey, expressed disappointment over the President’s recent comments on the issue. He warned that the President’s posture risked normalizing the destruction of farmlands and livelihoods.
According to Mr. Nortey, more than one million hectares of farmland have already been destroyed by illegal mining, while rivers and irrigation systems have been polluted with toxic waste, rendering once fertile land barren.
“We have lost several of our farmlands to the activities of illegal mining. In many cases, farmers are either forced to sell their land or pushed out altogether. This is destroying our livelihoods and threatening the future of food production in Ghana,” he lamented.
He further explained that farming communities reliant on cocoa, oil palm, and staple food crops are suffering severe setbacks, with declining yields and incomes. The ripple effects, he cautioned, are not only economic but also social, as families face displacement and rural economies weaken.
“If we cannot protect our farmlands from galamsey, then we are looking at a generational crisis where Ghana may be unable to feed itself,” he warned.
Mr. Nortey urged government to take urgent and decisive action to stop the destruction, calling for stricter enforcement of environmental laws and the immediate restoration of degraded lands. He stressed that while gold may bring short-term revenue, the long-term consequences of losing farmlands and water bodies would be far more devastating.
“Farmers are paying the highest price for government’s inaction. If nothing is done, Ghana risks facing a food and nutrition crisis that no amount of gold revenue can fix,” he added.
By: Bawa Musah
Leave a Comment