Hundreds march against Ghana's damaging informal gold mining boom

Hundreds of people marched through Ghana's capital Accra on Friday in a peaceful protest against unlicensed gold mining, calling on authorities to act against the dangerous and environmentally damaging practice.

Illegal small-scale gold mining known as "galamsey" in Ghana has picked up this year following an almost 30% rise in global gold prices.

Small-scale mines produced 1.2 million ounces of gold in the first seven months of this year, more than in the whole of 2023, according to data from Ghana's mining sector regulator.

But the boom in a practice that harms miners' health, pollutes waterways, destroys forests and cocoa farms, and fuels crime has spurred calls and protests to clamp down. It has also become a hot button electoral issue as Ghana heads to the polls on Dec. 7 for a general election.

Hundreds took part in an "environmental prayer walk" against galamsey on Friday that involved handing a petition for a ban on informal mining to the president's office.

The march followed plans by labour unions for a nationwide strike against galamsey this week that were partially called off after the government made promising provisions, according to local media reports citing the organisers.

The government is under pressure to appeal to voters that will elect the next president of the West African gold- and cocoa-producing nation.

Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has grappled with the country's worst economic crisis in a generation and a massive debt overhaul that has heavily impacted people's livelihoods.

About 40% of Ghana's total gold output comes from small-scale mines, as opposed to concessions operated by multinational firms. Some 70%-80% of the small mines are unlicensed.