Illegal Gold Mining Activities on Water and Land Resources Assessment and its Impacts on Livelihoods

Abstract

Gold mining activities has been in existence over several years because of its value and income generating power. For this reason the natural resources is exploited both legally and through illegal means. The illegal gold mining means is what is called Galamsey in Ghana. By this process, gold is exploited using illegal strategies and process to access and mine the natural resource. This results in the destruction of natural resources such as lands, forest reserves, water bodies and farmlands. This research hence purposed to investigate and justify this cause as illegal gold mining activities has become rampant in Nsutam community in the Eastern Region of Ghana. It is established that illegal gold mining activities has destroyed lands, forest reserves, farmlands. River Birim which used to serve about 80% of the indigenous, is now polluted, turbid and contaminated to a higher degree hence of no interest to anyone. Research findings indicates that natural channels of the rivers is at times destroyed during gold mining by these illegal gold mining operators. The destruction of forest reserves and destruction of natural channels of rivers is leading to reduced evapotranspiration and evaporation respectively. This is impacting the hydrological cycle negatively and may lead to future repercussions. Despite the negative impacts of illegal gold mining activities within the study area, it’s impacting positively on livelihoods. It is generating income into individual pockets to support families and addressing unemployment problems among the youth.