A video circulating on social media has reignited the debate on illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, after showing children as young as 8 to 10 years old involved in the practice.
The footage, shared on X (formerly Twitter), captures around eight children working at a mining site.
In the video, some children are seen digging into the ground, while a boy, apparently the leader, is shown loading sand into a machine.
The boy claims in the video that they have been mining for a while and have collected 50 karats of gold from the site.
This disturbing clip has prompted renewed discussion about the issue of child labor in illegal mining operations and the broader impact of galamsey in the country.
“Why are you covering your face because he’s videoing us? Make sure you don’t fall into the pit. I’m the one shooting the load. we even get 50 karat of gold through galamsey”, one of the children was heard saying while they continued to dig.
Recent discussions have focused on the escalating crisis of illegal mining following an alert from the Ghana Water Company Limited.
The company has warned of its inability to provide water to Cape Coast, Elmina, and neighboring towns due to the contamination of the Pra River caused by mining activities.
In response to the growing outcry over galamsey, Professor Stephen Adei, former Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to declare a national emergency.
Professor Adei argues that this declaration would grant the President emergency powers to address what he describes as a “gargantuan environmental degradation” problem.
Professor Adei made these remarks during the 25th anniversary lecture of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Accra on Wednesday.
Additionally, a May 2023 report by the International Labour Organisation highlighted the troubling involvement of young children (ages 10-14) in galamsey pits.
The study found that these children, working in dangerous conditions, are exposed to harmful chemicals. The report also noted that child labor in mining and quarrying affects various regions across Ghana, including Western, Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo, Northern, and Upper East.