By Ghana News
Copyright ghanamma
Dr Ekpor Anyimah-Ackah, a food systems toxicologist and health risk assessment expert at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has highlighted the severe health implications of illegal mining (galamsey), warning that even a single drop of arsenic-contaminated water from polluted rivers could potentially trigger cancer.
Speaking on Joy News on Saturday, October 5, 2025, Dr. Anyimah-Ackah explained that arsenic, a toxic, metal-like element naturally present in rocks and soil, is being released into Ghana’s rivers, farmlands, and food supply through illegal mining activities.
He described the situation as a national health crisis, stressing that continuous exposure to arsenic, even in small doses, poses serious risks to human life.
“A single molecular hit to a DNA from a genotoxic agent can initiate cancer, every single exposure is likely to escalate the risk that any person is exposed to,” he cautioned,
He revealed that a study conducted in the Volta Region found traces of arsenic in baby food samples, even though the area is not known for galamsey.
“You may not live in a galamsey zone, but the food supply chain runs throughout the country. So, if you are in Accra or Kumasi and eating food from contaminated areas, you are also at risk,” he noted.
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The toxicologist further stated that the country’s water systems have already failed to remove such dangerous metals.
“In places like Winneba, we have not had clean water for months. The water is brown, and people, especially children, are exposed daily,” he lamented.
He described the situation as an existential threat, saying that arsenic contamination has now spread through **the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the air we breathe.
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“The time to act is now,” he said firmly. “From our rivers to our tables, galamsey is poisoning us. Every sip, every meal could be a silent dose of cancer. If we do not stop this, the next generation will inherit not clean water and fertile lands, but sickness and suffering”, he added.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has said that he will only declare a state of emergency over the fight galamsey if the National Security Council advises him to do so.
In an engagement with civil society organisations in Accra on Friday, October 3, 2025, he stated, “The president acts on the advice of the National Security Council. The National Security Council believes we can win the fight without a state of emergency. The day they advise me otherwise, I will not hesitate in declaring,”
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