Several mining companies in the Western Region are raising alarms over the escalating encroachment of illegal mining activities, locally referred to as galamsey.
AngloGold Ashanti, one of the affected companies, reports that stream and other water sources they have diligently worked to maintain are now contaminated due to galamsey.
The company also revealed that these illegal operations have led to the theft of their property, forcing them to incur extra costs to replace stolen equipment.
Acting Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti, Abraham Osei Badu, underscored that the proximity of these illegal mining activities to their concession poses a significant threat to their production.
He warned that if the situation persists, it could severely impact their operations.
The company also expressed concern over the potential health risks to local communities from the contaminated water sources.
“Some years ago, galamsey was relatively minor, but now its effects and reach have intensified, even affecting streams we’ve kept clean across our concession. We continue to do our best to maintain them, but unfortunately, contamination from sources farther away reaches our concession.”
“These activities pose a direct threat to our business, especially as we are closely linked to our communities. The water is used for farming and domestic purposes, and contaminated water on crops could have serious health implications. For us, as a mining company, we cannot tolerate these illegal activities and are firmly opposed to them,” he told Citi News.
Source: Adomonline
READ ALSO: