CSIR warns of century-long damage from galamsey, says It could take 300 years to restore soil quality

Accra, Ghana - October 13, 2024 - A dire warning has been issued by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) regarding the devastating impact of illegal mining, or galamsey, on Ghana's soil quality.

According to Dr. Albert Kobina Mensa, a research scientist with the CSIR Soil Research Institute, it may take up to 300 years to restore damaged soil to its natural state.

Speaking on JoyNews, Dr. Mensa revealed that calculations using phytoremediation techniques indicate a centuries-long recovery period.

“As a matter of fact, there is a calculation that some of us have done and we wanted to see how many years it would take for the soil to restore to its natural state and we were trying to use some which the process is called phytoremediation techniques to see how it is going to remediate the chemicals from the soil and the calculation shows more than 300 years,” he revealed.

The widespread contamination of farmlands with toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide has severe environmental and health implications.

While degraded lands can be repurposed for forestry, full soil restoration poses significant challenges. Dr. Mensa emphasized the urgent need for action to mitigate the crisis, warning that inaction will exacerbate the damage.

Toxicologist Dr. Bright Boafo Boamah echoed concerns, estimating a 10-15 year timeline for restoring contaminated water bodies. However, he cautioned that ecological recovery requires sustained monitoring and remediation.

Dr. Boamah highlighted serious health risks from toxic exposure, urging the government to enforce strict environmental laws and implement sustainable solutions to curb further degradation.

The alarming warnings underscore the critical need for immediate action to address the environmental and health consequences of galamsey in Ghana.

Source: Lead News Online