Illegal small-scale mining, known as ‘galamsey,’ often referred to as an existential crisis, has gained significant attention in public discussions, so much that in recent months, there have been grave concerns about the safety of the food and water that citizens consume from galamsey areas (here, here, and here).
A quote card shared by Adom FM on November 19, 2025, capturing the Minister of Agriculture’s comments on food contamination from ‘galasmey’ areas went viral on Facebook and X (here and here) and was subsequently shared on the GhanaFact chatbot by a user, prompting our team to investigate it.
What did the minister say about galamsey areas and food contamination?
On the November 19, 2025, edition of Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku made a statement suggesting that the concerns about food contamination due to galamsey activities are not so “alarming.”
GhanaFact reviewed the interview to ascertain exactly what the minister said. From the 2-hour, 26-minute and 54-second mark, the minister engages in a discussion with the host about the contamination of food with traces of heavy metals from galamsey communities.
Find a transcript of the exchange below:
Host: My other question has to do with kontomire and fish. The EPA and Pure Earth report has highlighted that now, heavy metals used in galamsey are present in certain kinds of farm produce. There are fears. Have heavy metals contaminated our food?
Eric Opoku: “In fact, it is not the case that heavy metals have taken over our food. They were specific about areas where galamsey was happening. Areas where such heavy metals had entered the water bodies. We have received their report, and as a ministry, once we receive a report like that, we also authenticate it. We look out for whether there is truth in the report submitted to us.
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“We submitted the report to our technical guys to look into its contents. The initial assessment we have is that the situation isn’t so alarming. It is just isolated cases. Because if you go to the Volta Region and the surrounding areas, there’s no galamsey there… That is why I’m saying that the areas referred to by the researchers and reports, we are even testing to know whether it’s true or not.”
Host: “So you do not believe the contents of the report?”
Eric Opoku: “No, no, no, that our food is contaminated with heavy metals. No no no…
Host: “You don’t believe it? It is the Environmental Protection Agency and Pure Earth that conducted the survey.”
Eric Opoku: “Yes, once we get such reports, we go further to authenticate the contents… The initial assessments show that it’s not alarming. No, it’s never true. You can go ahead and eat anything.”
Minister restates his position on UTV
On UTV’s Adekye Nsroma programme on November 20, 2025, the minister reiterated that the EPA / Pure Earth report only highlighted selected areas where heavy metals have contaminated agricultural produce. He also stressed that the over-generalisation of food contamination from heavy metals may eventually affect Ghana’s food exports.
“Some people have started saying that in Ghana, all of our food has been contaminated with heavy metals. In fact when I went to the US, and addressed the media, the question I was asked was that it is said that the heavy metals used in ‘galamsey’ has destroyed all the agricultural produce in Ghana.
“There is no report generated in Ghana that shows that all of Ghana’s food has been contaminated with heavy metals. As we speak, there’s a contract where Ghana is set to export chilli pepper to Europe… Once you lie about galamsey and the contamination of our food, any food export we make will be rejected,” he said (between 0:43 to 1:38 of the hour-long interview).
What has the study said about galamsey and food contamination?
On September 24, 2025, Pure Earth Ghana and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) published a study assessing the presence of mercury and other heavy metals in selected artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities in Ghana.
The study found levels of food contamination from heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic.
According to the publication, researchers tested soil, air, crops and fish from 11 communities in six regions: the Ashanti, Western, Western North, Central, Eastern, and Savannah regions. This study was conducted between August 2024 and September 2025.
Key Findings
- Soil: Mercury levels at Konongo Zongo (Ashanti) exceeded safe guidelines by over 560%. Arsenic soared to a shocking 10,060 ppm, pointing to the need for improved mining practices.
- Water: In Konongo Odumase, arsenic levels reached 3.30 mg/L, hundreds of times above drinking water limits. Asiakwa (Eastern Region) recorded widespread unsafe lead levels in water, which calls for close monitoring and appropriate community protection measures.
- Air: Mercury vapour at Wassa Kayianko peaked at 150 µg/m³ during smelting, hazardous for anyone nearby, emphasising the importance of safe handling practices.
- Food: Vegetables such as pumpkin leaves and kontomire, along with fish from Akwaboso, were contaminated with lead, arsenic, and cadmium, threatening food safety and nutrition, reinforcing the need for food safety monitoring and guidance to farmers and households.
What is the impact of exposure to heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic?
Mercury, arsenic and lead are considered to have toxic effects on the human body. According to the WHO, exposure to mercury, even in small amounts, may cause serious health problems and is a threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life. The exposure to lead also poses serious health concerns for a developing fetus.
“Lead in bone is released into blood during pregnancy and becomes a source of exposure to the developing fetus. There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects,” the WHO said.
Arsenic also has serious implications for health. Long-term exposure through contaminated water used for drinking, food preparation and irrigation of food crops poses health risks such as skin lesions and skin cancer.
“In addition to skin cancer, long-term exposure to arsenic may also cause cancers of the bladder and lungs. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified arsenic and arsenic compounds as carcinogenic to humans and has also stated that arsenic in drinking-water is carcinogenic to humans,” the WHO said.
Conclusion
In 2025, the government undertook a series of efforts aimed at combating the menace, from the repeal of law that allowed mining in forest reserves, the establishment of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the president’s meeting with Civil Society players; the issue, however, remains topical till date.
