The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr. Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings, has likened the uncontrolled use of hazardous chemicals in illegal mining to “a form of chemical warfare,” warning that the practice poses serious risks to human health, water security and the future of Ghana.
She said the use of chemicals such as mercury and cyanide outside properly regulated mining operations exposes communities to potentially dangerous contamination, making illegal mining a public health crisis that demands urgent national attention.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings made the remarks during a visit to the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, on Tuesday evening, October 20, 2026, as part of working visit to some mining districts in the region .
“If you are to break it down to what it is, this is a form of chemical warfare, if you ask me, because the use of hazardous chemicals like cyanide and mercury outside of the confines of a properly regulated environment puts everyone at risk,” she said.
The minister stressed that the consequences of illegal mining go far beyond polluted rivers and destroyed farmlands, warning that the effects could extend to vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, infants and children.
She cited concerns about the potential effects of environmental contamination on maternal and infant health, including congenital abnormalities and infant mortality, arguing that the public must better understand the human consequences of the crisis.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings said the country must begin treating illegal mining as a direct threat to human health rather than limiting the debate to environmental protection.
“This is not just an issue around the environment. This is a health crisis as well,” she stressed.
According to her, Ghana risks undermining its ability to feed itself and provide safe drinking water to its citizens if the destruction of arable land and contamination of water bodies are allowed to continue unchecked.
She warned that the consequences could affect generations yet unborn if decisive action is not taken to reverse the damage.
The minister also expressed worry that illegal miners in the Eastern Region even have audacity to mine less than 200 metres from a major road.
She described the situation as disturbing and called on the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to examine the circumstances allowing illegal mining to persist despite ongoing interventions.
“What we saw was disturbing, extremely disturbing, and we really need to do a little bit more,” she said.
Demands tougher punishment, environmental courts
The minister called for the establishment of environmental fast-track courts to expedite the prosecution of offences involving environmental destruction.
She argued that illegal mining should not be reduced to a political debate, insisting that those who violate environmental laws must face the consequences.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings noted that the government was providing alternative pathways for small-scale miners to operate legally and sustainably, including training in safer mining practices.
“If we are providing alternatives and putting money into training people on how to engage in safe small-scale mining, and people are still opting to do this, for me, it’s a blatant disregard of everything we hold dear as a country,” she said.
She maintained that the quest for wealth must not take precedence over the protection of human life, the environment and the rights of citizens.
Forest reserves under siege
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings further cited remarks by the President at the Mining in Motion event that more than 30 forest reserves had been encroached upon by illegal miners, with nine identified as red zones having been cleared.
She said the fight against illegal mining remained ongoing but warned that authorities must respond more decisively when miners continued operating openly.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s responsibility to protect the environment and safeguard the health and dignity of Ghanaians, calling for stronger collaboration among state institutions to find lasting solutions.
The Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey welcome new strategy to tqckle the menace hoping that stronger collaboration between Environment Ministry, the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council and security agencies would work together to strengthen enforcement and accelerate the restoration of degraded lands.
