ILLEGAL MINING IN GHANA

[Audio] Ghana is a Nation rich with natural reserves and ranked among the very top in the world when it comes to the production of gold. However, Ghana's Gold industry is heavily burdened by illegal mining. Due to the high levels of unemployment and and illiteracy rates, many individuals have found themselves in the lucrative business known as GALAMSEY. These illegal mining operations disregard the regulations set by the state and drain the land of its natural resource in order to make a living. Often, illegal miners are subjected to harsh working conditions and are rewarded far less than what their work merits. Nonetheless, their actions pose a significant threat to the Ghanaian environment in more ways than one could imagine.

[Audio] Illegal mining has turned the waters of Ghana brown and caused the life that live within to either adapt or die. As if the waters alone was not too great a burden to carry, illegal mining has split open the land and exposed its innards for all to see. GALAMSEY does not only impact the environment, but it accounts for a 30% loss in the nation's gold output. In some cases, the paths that the miners make under the soil collapse and see them sadly lose their lives..