In Tarkwa, a mining town in Ghana, gold is woven into the very fabric of daily life. It’s not just buried beneath the ground; it’s in the air, the streets, and even in the local conversations. Tarkwa, Ghana’s largest mining town, is both a symbol of the country’s rich mineral resources and a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over illegal small-scale gold mining, known locally as “galamsey.”
Gold extraction in Tarkwa is not only visible in the holes dug into the earth but also in the environmental toll that mining has taken on the area. Polluted rivers, deforested areas, and hazardous waste disposal are the unfortunate byproducts of semi-industrial mining practices that continue to thrive despite government attempts to regulate them. The rapid expansion of galamsey operations has ignited fierce debates across the country, with environmentalists and local communities urging the government to take swift action to curtail these activities.
But there’s more at stake than just the environment. With national elections set for December 7, the issue of illegal gold mining has become a major political flashpoint. Politicians from all sides have weighed in, as the consequences of mining are felt both on the ground in mining communities and within the corridors of power in the capital, Accra.
Political Tensions Escalate as Election Looms
The timing of the growing public outcry against galamsey operations could not be more politically charged. Ahead of the December elections, local politicians in Tarkwa, including Deputy Mining Minister George Mireku Duker, have been caught between the demands of environmental activists and the economic realities faced by voters who rely heavily on mining for their livelihoods.
In a visit to four underground mines in Tarkwa in October, Duker offered reassurances to local mine operators, stating, “In Accra, they want to ban you, but I’m here to tell you that I support miners.” His statement reflects the delicate balancing act he faces as a local legislator: the need to placate both the mining communities, which rely on small-scale mining for their economic survival, and the broader public in Accra that is increasingly concerned about the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining activities.
Duker, who narrowly won his seat in 2020 by just 101 votes, understands that any significant shift in his stance on illegal mining could cost him his re-election. He pointed out that small-scale mining provides jobs for over a million Ghanaians, while large-scale operations employ fewer than 10,000. In the run-up to the elections, any move that threatens the livelihoods of the people in Tarkwa could spark a voter backlash that would be hard to recover from.
“The small-scale mining sector employs more than 1 million Ghanaians,” Duker emphasized. “You want to take their livelihood from them?”
The Impact of Galamsey on Ghana’s Economy and Environment
Small-scale mining operations, often referred to as artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), have flourished in Ghana, particularly in areas like Tarkwa. These mines—often unregulated and operating without formal licenses—account for more than a quarter of the gold produced in Ghana, which, in 2023, amounted to over four million ounces of gold worth approximately $10.6 billion. The ASM sector has become a critical part of the national economy, as it serves as a major source of employment, particularly in rural communities.
Yet the sector is also a hotbed of environmental destruction. Many ASM operations are equipped with heavy machinery that amplifies the environmental damage, and a large proportion of these operations are informal—unregulated, and often working illegally. In Tarkwa, an estimated 70% of the mining activities are illegal.
Gold prices have surged by more than a third this year, peaking at a record-high of $2,787 per ounce in October. This price surge, combined with the promise of quick profits, has spurred even more illegal mining activity in Tarkwa. Buyers from places like Dubai are eager to purchase gold extracted through both legal and illegal means. As a result, the once-thriving mining town has become a chaotic and dangerous landscape, with young men offering their labor to Chinese-operated machinery shops in exchange for a cut of the gold they can extract from rivers and mountainsides.
Blurring the Line Between Legal and Illegal Mining
The distinction between legal and illegal mining is often unclear. While some miners hold valid licenses, many fail to comply with the legal requirements that govern the mining sector. Ishmael Quaicoe, the head of the environmental and safety engineering department at Tarkwa’s University of Mines and Technology, pointed out that many miners possess licenses but do not follow the law’s stipulations.
“Many people do have a license, but their operations don’t conform with what the law asks them to do,” Quaicoe explained. This lack of oversight has exacerbated the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.
In recent months, protests in Accra have focused on the harmful impact of galamsey mining, including widespread river pollution and deforestation. The Trades Union Congress, one of the country’s largest labor organizations, has added its voice to the campaign, calling for an outright ban on all small-scale mining activities. According to a Ghana Water Company report in August, 60% of the raw water it treated was contaminated by illegal mining operations. This pollution has far-reaching consequences, not only for the environment but also for critical industries like cocoa farming, which is heavily reliant on clean water sources.
Political Parties Clash Over Mining Policy
With the December elections rapidly approaching, the issue of illegal mining has become a significant point of contention between Ghana’s two main political parties: the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). Both sides have traded accusations, with the NDC blaming the NPP for failing to effectively address the galamsey crisis and the NPP defending its position as it navigates the complexities of balancing economic interests with environmental concerns.
In response to growing calls for a ban, President Nana Akufo-Addo pledged in October to deploy soldiers to mining towns in an attempt to curb illegal mining activities. While the president has yet to follow through on this threat, his rhetoric has sparked memories of the government’s failed attempt to close down illegal mining in 2017. The ban on small-scale mining lasted for nearly two years, but it proved highly unpopular, with many Ghanaians accusing the government of overreach. Some observers believe that the government’s handling of the mining ban contributed to its loss of parliamentary majority in the 2020 elections.
The Socioeconomic Dilemma of Tarkwa and Beyond
The fight over illegal gold mining is not just a political issue; it is a deeply social one. In Tarkwa and other mining communities, the small-scale mining sector is often the only available livelihood. According to the Ghana Statistical Service, nearly 20% of people in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality, which is Duker’s constituency, live in acute poverty. These individuals face multiple deprivations, including a lack of clean water, inadequate shelter, and limited access to education.
With few alternatives, young people in Tarkwa are drawn to the small-scale mining industry, where they can earn a living, albeit in dangerous and often unhealthy conditions. Many of these young miners are uneducated and work in hazardous conditions, exposed to toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide.
“They are already dying from poverty, so they don’t hear you when you talk about the dangers of mercury or cyanide,” said Elorm Ama Governor-Ababio, a protester who was arrested during a demonstration in Accra. Governor-Ababio, who participated in protests organized by the activist group Democracy Hub, believes that the dire socioeconomic conditions in Tarkwa leave people with little choice but to risk their lives in the mining sector.
“They see a literal threat to their life, but they see it as a beacon of hope,” Governor-Ababio added.
A Dilemma That Could Define Ghana’s Future
As Ghana heads into its election, the issue of illegal gold mining continues to create a dilemma for politicians, miners, and the public. The stakes are high, as the government must find a way to balance the economic importance of the small-scale mining sector with the environmental and health risks it poses. The outcome of this debate will likely shape the future of mining in Ghana and could play a pivotal role in determining the political landscape in the coming years.
Whether through a crackdown on illegal mining or a more nuanced approach that addresses both environmental and economic concerns, Ghana’s government will need to navigate these tensions carefully. How the government handles the galamsey issue in the lead-up to the elections could have long-lasting implications for both the country’s political stability and its natural resources.
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