Some mining companies in the Western Region are raising concerns over the growing encroachment by illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
AngloGold Ashanti, one of the companies affected, reports that streams and other water sources they have worked to keep clean have now been contaminated due to galamsey.
The company also revealed that these illegal activities have resulted in the theft of their property, forcing them to spend additional funds to replace stolen equipment.
Abraham Osei Badu, Acting Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti, highlighted the proximity of galamsey operations to their concession as a significant threat to their production.
He warned that if the situation is not brought under control, it could have a detrimental impact on their operations.
The company also expressed concern about the potential health risks posed to local communities by the contaminated water sources.
He said, “Some years ago it [Galamsey] used to be minor, but currently the effects and activity coming all over around our operations and then attacking some of the streams that we have kept clean all over our concession.
“As of now, we still do our best to keep them clean. But unfortunately, you get to see some of them that have been tampered with. From a source that is a little bit far from our operation, it gets contaminated, then it comes through the concession.”
“Yes, these activities are a threat to our business because we are very close to our communities. The community use this water for their farm and domestic activity. So imagine somebody going to fetch contaminated water to go and spray vegetables.
“So directly, the vegetable is already contaminated and it can create problems for the community and everybody who actually goes to take that vegetable So for us, as a mine, we do not support that. It is something that we cannot tolerate and we are very much against those illegal activities.”
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