Millions of people in Ghana face the dangerous consequences of illegal gold mining. The practice, known locally as "galamsey," has led to widespread environmental degradation, particularly in rural communities.

Despite a national outcry, illegal mining persists, undermining Ghana's agricultural potential and public health as rivers are contaminated with toxic chemicals. Both locals and foreigners are involved in the business of galamsey.

President Nana Akufo-Addo pledged to end "galamsey" upon taking office in 2017. But despite several government initiatives, enforcement remains weak. Activists in affected communities are seeking immediate action.

Ghanaian forensic pathologist and professor Paul Poku Sampene Ossei advocates for a complete ban on all forms of small-scale mining. Research by his team shows the damage caused by illegal mining has gone from "bad to worse," he has told media in Ghana.

In the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai district, an illegal mining hub in western Ghana, his team detected the presence of heavy metals, such as cyanide, arsenic, and mercury, in the placentas of pregnant women, which led to babies with birth defects.

This finding supports other published studies on the connection between illegal mining and birth defects.

Erastus Asare Donkor, an investigative and environmental journalist in Ghana, told DW that nearly every major river across the country is highly polluted and contaminated.

Ghana Water Resources Commission data shows water turbidity levels, or the presence of particles in water, of between 500........

© Deutsche Welle