Galamsey, Land Grabs and Intimidation: A Rocha Ghana demands urgent action

Environmental advocacy organisation A Rocha Ghana has raised the alarm over what it describes as escalating human rights abuses, threats, intimidation and environmental destruction in mining-affected communities across the country.

The organisation is calling on the government, security agencies, mining regulators and district assemblies to take immediate action to protect residents whose livelihoods, farmlands and access to clean water are allegedly being threatened by illegal and unregulated mining activities.

In a press statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, A Rocha Ghana said communities across the country were losing not only their lands but also their sources of livelihood and the freedom to speak out against mining operations without fear of intimidation.

The organisation said its documentation of cases in several mining communities revealed a disturbing pattern of land encroachment, destruction of farms, pollution of water bodies and threats against residents who challenge mining activities.

“Mining prospects must not be built on the destruction of communities, the poisoning of rivers, the displacement of farmers, or the silencing of citizens,” the organisation stated.

A Rocha Ghana cited several communities where residents are reportedly experiencing the effects of illegal mining, including Kuano, Dome, Abobri and Akyensa in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region.

According to the organisation, mining operators allegedly attempted to enter community lands under a so-called “cooperative mining” arrangement reportedly facilitated by the District Chief Executive for Ayensuano.

The proposed arrangement was opposed by affected residents, who, with support from community paralegals and the Community Resource Management Area (CREMA), sought to protect their land rights.

A Rocha Ghana said the incident raised concerns about the role of public officials in facilitating mining activities without the free, prior and informed consent of affected communities.

It, however, called for appropriate scrutiny to establish the facts and ensure accountability where wrongdoing is proven.

The organisation stressed that the situation in Ayensuano was not an isolated incident but part of a wider pattern of alleged encroachment, environmental pollution and intimidation in mining-affected areas.

In Kuntokrom, near Dunkwa-on-Offin, A Rocha Ghana said mining operators had destroyed access routes to farmlands, leaving some farmers unable to transport harvested produce from their farms.

It added that abandoned mining pits had disrupted movement between communities, with residents facing difficulties travelling to and from their farms.

The organisation recalled a 2010 mine collapse in the Dunkwa-on-Offin area, in which reports indicated that dozens of people may have been buried following heavy rains.

A Rocha Ghana also raised concerns about illegal mining activities in Kenyasi No. 2, where it said operations were destroying the Densu River, described as the community's only source of water.

According to the organisation, the matter had been reported to traditional authorities, who indicated that they had referred it to the police.

However, it said mining activities were continuing, while farmers visiting the affected area allegedly faced threats and intimidation, including reported warning shots intended to prevent them from confronting the operators.

In Nsuaem No. 1, the organisation said wastewater from illegal mining sites had been discharged directly into cocoa farms, damaging crops and restricting farmers' access to their lands.

It warned that the destruction of agricultural land and water sources was placing additional pressure on farming communities that depend on these resources for their livelihoods.

The organisation disclosed that it submitted a formal criminal complaint to the District Police Commander in Konongo on September 29, 2026, requesting an urgent investigation into an alleged attack on a 61-year-old cocoa farmer at Patriensa in the Ashanti Region.

The complaint followed the circulation of a video on social media showing the distressed farmer being chased from her farm by a man allegedly wielding a cutlass.

A Rocha Ghana said its investigations indicated that a group of individuals had entered the farm and begun mining without the owner's knowledge or consent, resulting in the clearing and destruction of portions of the cocoa farm.

It further disclosed that a coalition of civil society organisations, including A Rocha Ghana, the Nature and Development Foundation, WACAM and the Network of Legal Advocates for Land and Human Rights, had called on the Ghana Police Service to investigate allegations of intimidation, threats and destruction of farmlands in galamsey-affected communities.

The organisation is urging the police to investigate the incident and ensure that anyone found responsible is held accountable.

Beyond land disputes and threats against residents, A Rocha Ghana warned that illegal and unregulated mining was contributing to environmental degradation and serious public health risks.

AM

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