EU-Funded Study Finds Widespread Heavy Metal Contamination in Savannah Mining Communities

Soil samples from artisanal and small-scale mining communities in three districts of the Savannah Region contain elevated levels of heavy metals, with cadmium exceeding recommended guidelines in every sample tested and mercury above safe limits in approximately 94 percent of samples, according to an EU-funded baseline study launched in Accra on Thursday.

The studies, conducted under the European Union-funded Gold for Good (G4G) Project, covered West Gonja Municipality, Bole District, and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, drawing on a survey of 953 respondents across 30 communities, environmental sampling, and the mapping of 94 mining sites . The findings point to significant gaps in mining regulation and oversight: only 2.92 percent of respondents held mining licences, and approximately 74 percent were unaware of the regulations governing mining activities in their communities .

A Data Deficit Addressed

Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Alhaji Yusif Sulemana said the evidence should provide a basis for more coordinated action against illegal mining. "For years, we debated galamsey with great passion and very little data. Today, that changes," he said . He said the findings, particularly the extent of regulatory unawareness and soil contamination, should prompt stakeholders to take concrete action.

The launch follows remarks by Jonas Claes, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana, who said this week that illegal mining was directly undermining EU development investments in agriculture, water and sanitation, security, and reforestation—and that the bloc had moved from a cautious position to active support for Ghana's response to the problem .

Security Dimensions Along the Black Volta

Rev. Fr. Dr. Clement Aapengnuo, Team Leader of the Gold for Good Project and Country Director of Coginta Ghana, warned that unregulated mining along the Black Volta tri-border frontier had also become a security concern. He identified migrant networks, cash-based gold trading, and armed informal security groups as emerging challenges in areas where state presence is limited.

"Enforcement alone will not secure this border. Bringing mining within the law, with communities and traditional authorities as partners, will," he said .

The studies also identified weak institutional coordination, inadequate enforcement, and limited conflict-prevention mechanisms as major challenges affecting mining governance. Women and young people were found to be underrepresented in decision-making, with women largely concentrated in lower-paid mining activities .

An Economic Paradox

Despite the environmental and regulatory concerns, households in mining communities recorded average incomes nearly six times higher than those in non-mining communities—a finding that underscores the economic pull of artisanal mining and the difficulty of offering alternative livelihoods. This aligns with research by the International Growth Centre, which found that households in mining communities in Ghana have consumption levels 80 percent higher than those in non-mining communities, with mining employing more people than large-scale agriculture in some districts .

Next Phase and Priorities

EU Ambassador to Ghana Rune Skinnebach said the project was intended to support Ghana in building a mining sector that is lawful, environmentally responsible, socially inclusive, and economically beneficial to communities .

The findings will inform the next phase of the Gold for Good Project, which will focus on strengthening institutional coordination, preventing conflicts, promoting responsible gold sourcing, formalising mining activities, and rehabilitating degraded lands. Dollar Power and Tinga have been identified as priority communities for integrated interventions.

The Gold for Good Project is an 18-month initiative funded by the European Union at a cost of €3 million and implemented by Coginta. It operates in West Gonja, Bole, and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in the Savannah Region.