Alarm Raised Over Human Rights Abuses In Ghana’s Mining Communities – A Rocha Ghana Demands Action Over Threats, Land Grabs And River Pollution

A Rocha Ghana has sounded the alarm over escalating human rights abuses in Ghana’s mining communities, describing the situation as a national emergency demanding immediate national action.

Addressing the press at the International Press Centre in Accra on Friday, October 16, 2026, Daryl Bosu of A Rocha Ghana sounded the alarm over escalating human rights abuses in Ghana’s mining communities, describing the situation as a national emergency.

Reading the BIVA Press Statement titled “Time To Sound The Alarm On Escalating Human Rights Abuses In Ghana’s Mining Communities,” Mr. Bosu said while Ghana’s gold sector remains a major pillar of the economy as Africa’s largest gold producer, its prospects must not be built on “the destruction of communities, the poisoning of rivers, the displacement of farmers, or the silencing of citizens.”

Addressing the press, Mr. Bosu said through its work under the Building Resilient and Active Communities in Extractive Landscapes in Ghana (BRACE) Project and the BIVA Project, A Rocha Ghana has documented a worrying pattern of threats, harassment, land encroachment and environmental destruction.

“Across Ghana’s mining-affected communities, people are losing more than land. They are losing access to water, livelihoods and, increasingly, the freedom to speak out without fear of intimidation,” he told journalists.

Cases Cited:

Addressing the press, he listed:

Ayensuano District (E/R) – Kuano, Dome, Abobri, Akyensa: Mining operators under a so-called “cooperative mining” arrangement said to be facilitated by the District Chief Executive attempted to enter community lands without Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The attempt was resisted by community paralegals and CREMA members.

Kuntokrom near Dunkwa-on-Offin: Galamsey operators destroyed access paths to farmlands including those farmed by Joyce Alabar, leaving harvested produce to rot. Open pits have cut communities off from each other.

Kenyasi No. 2: Illegal mining destroying the Densu River, the community’s only water source. Despite reports to chiefs and police, perpetrators continue with impunity, firing warning shots at farmers.

Nsuaem No. 1: Wastewater from galamsey discharged directly into cocoa farms, destroying harvests.

Patriensa, Ashanti Region: On September 29, 2026, A Rocha submitted a criminal complaint to the District Police Commander, Konongo, over a viral video showing a 61-year-old cocoa farmer chased from her farm by a man brandishing a cutlass.

He also referenced the Electrochem Ghana salt project in Ada East, where over 10,000 salt farmers face eviction from Songor Lagoon, and cited UN findings on mercury contamination affecting 60% of water bodies.

Demands:

Addressing the press, Mr. Bosu called on District Assemblies and DCEs to account for facilitating “cooperative mining,” on the Minerals Commission and EPA to shut down illegal sites, on the Police to prosecute threats against defenders, and on government to resource CHRAJ and NCCE, reclaim abandoned pits and ensure fair compensation under the polluter-pays principle.

“This is a national emergency, and it demands nothing less than a decisive national response now, not later,” he stressed.