Ghana’s Galamsey Crisis: Polluted Water Bodies and Lands Could Take Up to 3 Centuries to Recover, Warns UCC Expert

Environmental Toll of Illegal Mining

Ghana’s persistent struggle against illegal mining, locally known as ‘galamsey,’ has left an ecological scar so deep that full environmental remediation could take anywhere between a century and three centuries, according to a leading academic.

Speaking on the escalating ecological degradation, a University of Cape Coast (UCC) professor detailed the severe, long-term implications of heavy chemical pollution and indiscriminate land clearing on major river basins and forest reserves across the country.

Key Takeaways

• Experts warn that severely polluted water bodies and degraded lands from galamsey require 100 to 300 years for natural and engineered recovery.
• The use of toxic substances like mercury and cyanide has severely damaged aquatic ecosystems and local water treatment capabilities.
• Calls for intensified state interventions, stricter law enforcement, and comprehensive reclamation strategies continue to mount among scientists and civil society.