Ghana needs $21bn to restore lands damaged by illegal mining – Frimpong-Boateng
Former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, says Ghana will require an estimated $21 billion to reclaim and restore lands degraded largely by illegal mining and other destructive activities.
Former Environment Minister Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has warned Ghana will need approximately $21 billion to restore lands severely damaged by illegal mining and other harmful activities. He stated that around 10% of the country's surface area, equivalent to about 23,853 square kilometres, has been degraded, resulting in a substantial environmental restoration cost.
During the Fourth Annual Colloquium at the University of Education, Winneba, Frimpong-Boateng emphasized that restoring the Ankobra River alone could require around $400 million, not including the expense of rehabilitating other contaminated waterways like the Pra, Offin, Birim, Anum, Oda, and the Black, White, and Red Volta rivers.
The former minister, who oversaw the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining from 2017 to 2021, branded galamsey as the "largest environmental crime in our history." He cautioned that the destruction of forests and water bodies puts mining communities at risk of exposure to hazardous substances such as mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and chromium, which can lead to neurological damage, cancer, kidney failure, and pregnancy complications.
Despite numerous attempts, including military operations, task forces, mining bans, and alternative livelihood programs, the destruction of farmlands, forests, and rivers continues. Frimpong-Boateng urged for the creation of an independently managed Environmental Restoration Fund, funded by a designated portion of mineral royalties, to aid river remediation and land restoration.
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