US$2.3bn lost annually to illegal mining

Illegal mining and gold smuggling cost Ghana an estimated $2.3 billion annually, exacerbating environmental destruction, deforestation, and mercury contamination. These activities have reduced cocoa production by 20% and increased crime in mining areas.

Political parties, including the NPP and NDC, are proposing solutions such as decentralizing small-scale mining licenses, establishing a minerals development bank, and banning mining near water bodies and forests.

The UK-Ghana Gold Programme highlights the connection between illegal mining, smuggling, and crime, calling for urgent measures to curb these practices and protect Ghana’s environment and economy.