To address the worrying problem of illicit mining in Ghana, the executive director of Salt and Light Ministries, Rev. Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee, has urged for cooperation between the government, businesses, civil society organizations, and the media.

In her address at the 8th John Evans Atta Mills Lecture series, she stressed the importance of community involvement and ethical mining methods in reducing the detrimental effects that these illicit operations have on the environment, economy, and society.

Despite the fact that mining is seen as an important industry with the ability to promote sustainable development, Ghana’s future is seriously threatened by the widespread practice of illicit mining. Not to mention health risks for impacted areas, social unrest, economic inequality, and environmental degradation are some of the major issues that require immediate attention.

Dr. Aryee emphasized that because illicit mining jeopardizes the health and well-being of the populations impacted by such operations, it is a serious threat to the future of the country.
She brought up the fact that, on top of the deaths, contamination of rivers and other bodies of water, depletion of forest reserves, and environmental damage, Ghana loses more than 500 million dollars a year.