Ghana's food exports at risk as engineer warns of high heavy metal levels

A US-based engineer, Dr Juliet Ohemeng-Ntiamoah, has revealed that some food items exported from Ghana contain dangerously high levels of heavy metals.

She criticised the notion that residents of Accra should not be concerned about the effects of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, stressing that mining activities in other regions can still impact those living in the capital.

“People have said to me, ‘Juliet, you live in the US, why are you discussing galamsey?’ I want to stress that even those of us in the diaspora are affected by the consequences of galamsey,” she stated.

Many of us, particularly those who are discerning about our diets, continue to enjoy Ghanaian food even after spending years in the US. I frequently shop at African markets for yams and other groceries. Recently, I spoke with a friend at the Ghana Standards Board, who informed me that they found high levels of heavy metals in the yams being exported.

Dr Ohemeng-Ntiamoah's comments came during a public discussion on galamsey on the Saturday, 5 October 2024, edition of Newsfile, a current affairs programme on Accra-based JoyNews.

This is a call to those in the diaspora who think that galamsey is only happening in Ghana. The effects of galamsey are reaching us even here in the US. So, let alone if you are in Accra and think that galamsey is only happening in the Western or Ashanti regions. For you, the effects are even more prevalent than for those of us here.

She emphasised that Ghana’s current water treatment systems are not designed to handle the heavy metal concentrations resulting from illegal mining activities. She expressed concern about the use of chemicals such as mercury, lead, and arsenic in galamsey operations, adding, This issue is bigger than the muddy water we are seeing.

Ghana is currently experiencing a nationwide civil campaign against illegal mining, which has caused numerous water bodies to become polluted, turning muddy and brown. The initial protests led to the arrest of 53 activists, and the recently concluded #StopGalamsey three-day demonstration was a powerful follow-up to the earlier protest. The recent protests not only called for the release of the arrested activists, using the hashtag #FreeTheCitizens, but also demanded urgent government action to tackle the growing galamsey crisis.

In the coming days, more demonstrations are expected, as pressure continues to mount on the government to take decisive action against illegal mining. Organised Labour has announced plans to begin a strike starting on 10 October 2024, while the Catholic Church has planned a prayer protest in solidarity with the fight against galamsey on 11 October 2024.

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