The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has raised alarms over the severe impact of illegal mining, also known as galamsey, on Ghana’s farmlands, warning that the country faces a looming food shortage if the menace continues unchecked.
According to GAWU, galamsey poses a grave threat to food security, particularly in the agricultural sector, which has borne the brunt of the environmental degradation caused by these illegal activities.
In a press release, GAWU emphasized that the government’s efforts to combat galamsey have been insufficient, leaving farmers frustrated and forced to abandon their farmlands, either through coercion or hopelessness. The union noted that the impact on cocoa farming has been particularly devastating, with entire farms lost to the harmful mining practices.
GAWU further cautioned that the environmental damage caused by galamsey extends far beyond agriculture, warning of long-term consequences for ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources. The stripping of vegetation and topsoil has led to soil erosion and unfavorable conditions for cocoa cultivation, a cornerstone of Ghana’s agricultural economy.
The union highlighted that this degradation of natural resources not only threatens food security but also undermines sustainable economic growth, particularly in sectors like agriculture and forestry, which rely heavily on a healthy environment.
GAWU’s statement urged the government to take immediate action to safeguard farmlands and protect livelihoods in the agricultural sector, stressing that failure to address the galamsey issue could exacerbate Ghana’s food security crisis.
