The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has cautioned that the country’s international trade could suffer major setbacks if illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, is not urgently addressed.
The warning comes after the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) recently linked heavy metal contamination in some food and cosmetic products on the Ghanaian market to illegal mining activities.
Speaking to the media in Accra on Monday, September 29, 2025, the Association’s Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said galamsey poses not only environmental and health risks but also a serious economic threat.
“You think by now the Europeans are not monitoring? This is what is going to happen to us. They can turn around and say they will not take any foodstuffs coming from Ghana because the mercury level is high in our food. Because of our negligence, it will affect all of us,” he warned.
Mr. Awingobit added that Ghana needs to strengthen efforts to boost exports and protect its credibility on the international market.
Meanwhile, the government has intensified its anti-galamsey operations. On Sunday, September 28, 2025, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS) Task Force was deployed in Sunyani on the directive of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, with orders to deal “ruthlessly” with anyone engaged in illegal mining.
Source:Africa Publicity
