Ghana Medical Association urges stronger oversight of community mining to protect environment, public health

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to enhance supervision of its community mining scheme, emphasizing the need for effective oversight to prevent illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.

GMA Vice President, Professor Ernest Yorke, highlighted the environmental and health impacts of unchecked mining in major communities, urging the government to address these issues immediately. Speaking with Nana Tuffour Boateng on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Prof. Yorke emphasized the importance of reversing the damage caused by poor supervision.

“The environmental harm from illegal mining is directly linked to public health concerns, and if left unchecked, it could become a serious existential threat to the country. That’s why we are urging the government to take swift action,” said Prof. Yorke.

He noted that while the government’s community mining initiative was well-intentioned, it needs stronger oversight to prevent exploitation. “The community mining scheme, in its current form, allows illegal activities to persist unchecked, causing further environmental destruction. We need to pause, regroup, and implement corrective measures,” he added.

On Friday, September 6, the GMA, along with other health unions and associations, urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to temporarily halt all small-scale mining operations—whether legal or illegal—to safeguard public health and the environment. They also called for strengthened regulatory enforcement to ensure compliance with mining laws and expedite prosecution of violators.