Ghana needs $21 billion to restore land after illegal mining — MyJoyOnline
Ghana will need an estimated $21 billion to reclaim and restore land degraded mainly by illegal mining. The estimate was provided by former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng during a speech in Winneba, MyJoyOnline reports.
About one-tenth of the country has been degraded
According to Frimpong-Boateng, degradation has affected about 10% of Ghana's area, or approximately 23,853 square kilometres. He said restoring the areas already destroyed would cost about $21 billion.
The former official presented these figures on September 2, 2026, during the fourth annual colloquium organized by the Department of Political Science Education at the University of Education, Winneba. The event focused on politics, the environment and Ghana's future.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Costs of restoring rivers
Separately, Frimpong-Boateng noted that restoring the Ankobra River alone was estimated at about $400 million. This amount does not include the costs of rehabilitating other polluted water bodies, including the Pra, Offin, Birim, Anum and Oda rivers, as well as the Black, White and Red Volta rivers.
Frimpong-Boateng, who headed the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining from 2017 to 2021, called galamsey the biggest environmental crime in the country's history. He warned that the destruction of forests and water bodies exposes mining communities to mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium and chromium, which can cause neurological damage, cancer, kidney failure and pregnancy complications.
According to him, government operations, task forces, mining bans and alternative employment programmes failed to produce lasting results because, after announcing them, the authorities stopped enforcing restrictions and institutional safeguards. He called for the creation of an independent Environmental Restoration Fund financed by a defined share of mining royalties.
