Tama Foundation Universal, an extractives-oriented civil society organisation working in Northern Ghana, has organised a two-day capacity-building workshop in Bolgatanga aimed at strengthening community-led monitoring and reporting of mining-related infractions across Northern Ghana.
The two-day training brought together participants from all five northern regions, including community leaders, paralegals, civil society organisations, traditional authorities, district assemblies and regulatory agencies.
The workshop was organised under the Natural Resource Accountability in Northern Ghana (NaRAING) project, focused on promoting accountability, environmental protection and community engagement in mining-affected areas.
Threat to livelihoods
The Executive Director of Tama Foundation, Dr Chris Anab, said while Ghana’s mineral resources were a blessing, the manner in which mining was currently carried out in Northern Ghana posed “existential threats to future generations.”
“Northern Ghana is essentially an agrarian economy. People depend largely on farming for their livelihoods, but mining concessions are increasingly taking over farmlands and polluting waterbodies,” he stated.
Dr Anab cited a 2026 study by Tama Foundation and the Water Research Institute, which revealed the presence of heavy metals such as mercury and cyanide in water samples collected along the White Volta Basin.
“These substances have serious health implications for our people and must be treated as a national concern,” he added.
Child labour
Dr Anab expressed deep concern about the growing involvement of children in mining activities, describing it as one of the worst forms of child labour.
“Children who should be in school are now found at mining sites. This is happening in communities such as Taweng and Kadima in the Bawku North District, where classrooms are increasingly empty,” he said.
Dr Anab welcomed the repeal of Legislative Instrument (LI) 2462, which now bans mining in forest reserves, describing it as a positive step, though not a complete solution.
He urged the government to prioritise alternative livelihood programmes for youth in mining-affected communities.
“Many young people tell us plainly that they turn to illegal mining because they have no jobs. Skills training, start-up support and access to markets are critical if we want to reduce galamsey,” he stated.
Galamsey
Also speaking at the workshop, Nyaya Yen, Chairperson of the Savannah Research and Advocacy Network, described galamsey as a growing crisis in parts of the Upper East Region, particularly in Pelungu, Tansi and Nabdam.
“Our land area is small, yet illegal mining is spreading rapidly. If this continues unchecked, future generations may inherit a devastated environment with no viable agriculture,” he warned.
He expressed concern over the absence of visible National Anti-Galamsey Operations in the region and called for stronger enforcement.
Appreciation
The chief of Gaare and Divisional Chief under the Talensi Traditional Council, Naba Mwarebilsong Naneeteng, said the workshop was critical in empowering communities with knowledge about their rights and responsibilities in the mining sector.
“Many community members often felt frustrated and helpless because they did not know where to channel their concerns when mining companies entered their areas, but this workshop has opened the eyes of many on whom to engage and what obligations mining companies owed host communities,” he added.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
