{"id":105483,"date":"2025-12-05T08:57:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T08:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=105483"},"modified":"2025-12-05T08:57:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T08:57:00","slug":"galamsey-is-killing-our-cocoa-our-water-our-future-minority-warns-of-food-security-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=105483","title":{"rendered":"Galamsey is killing our cocoa, our water, our future \u2013 Minority warns of food security meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>3 Minute, 57 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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The Minority in Parliament is warning that illegal mining is destroying cocoa farms, poisoning water sources, and threatening Ghana\u2019s long-term food security. <\/p>\n

In a statement signed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to mark Farmers\u2019 Day, the caucus said the country is running out of time to save the sectors that feed millions.<\/p>\n

The statement said the day is not only for celebration but also for reflection. <\/p>\n

\u201cOn the occasion of National Farmers\u2019 Day, the Minority in Parliament extends heartfelt appreciation and resolute solidarity to the gallant farmers, fisherfolk, processors, and agricultural workers whose sweat and resilience continue to feed our nation \u2014 even as they face some of the gravest challenges in Ghana\u2019s modern agricultural history.\u201d <\/p>\n

It added that \u201ctoday is not only a day of celebration. It is a day for deep reflection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Galamsey<\/figure>\n

The caucus said farmers have been pushed into hardship by market failures and broken promises. It pointed to what it describes as \u201ca catastrophic grain market collapse, where over 1 million metric tonnes of paddy rice valued at GH\u00a25 billion reportedly remain unsold.\u201d <\/p>\n

It said the government failed to honour its promise that the National Food Buffer Stock Company would buy all locally produced maize and rice. According to the statement, farmers have been \u201cleft stranded, their livelihoods jeopardised, and national food security undermined.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Minority also paid tribute to the country\u2019s fishers and said their struggle has become harder. It said fishers face \u201cdepleted fish stocks, illegal fishing, and now, crippling logistical failures in the supply of essential inputs.\u201d It added that their efforts show \u201cthe indomitable Ghanaian spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement described an escalating crisis in coastal communities. It said places like Keta have seen livelihoods collapse because of a \u201cchronic non-supply of premix fuel.\u201d It warned that the hardship reflects \u201csystemic neglect that leaves boats docked, livelihoods frozen, and families hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Minority said the despair in the sector has triggered protests. It noted that some farmer groups staged a symbolic boycott of national celebrations and marched \u201cwith placards asking: \u2018Government promised to buy every grain. Where are you?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The caucus warned that markets are being distorted by foreign goods. It said \u201ccheap, expired, and smuggled rice \u2014 often repackaged by politically connected importers \u2014 continues to flood the market.\u201d It added that these imports make Ghanaian farmers uncompetitive and called the situation \u201ca national failure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement said the worst damage is now being seen in the cocoa sector. It warned that farmers are facing collapsing prices and major losses linked to illegal mining. It said \u201c30,000 hectares of cocoa farms have, according to COCOBOD, been lost to illegal mining.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Galamsey<\/figure>\n

It described communities dealing with \u201cland degradation, poisoned water, and collapsing livelihoods.\u201d It added that some farmers have abandoned cocoa for other crops \u201csimply to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Minority said the destruction of water bodies is a direct threat to agriculture and fishing. It warned that pollution levels have reached dangerous limits and pointed to turbidity levels in the Ayensu River rising \u201cover 30,000 NTU,\u201d a figure far above what treatment plants can handle. It said this damage \u201cdevastates aquatic life and the fishing communities that depend on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement highlighted the rising cost of production and the loss in productivity across the sector. It said farmers and fishers face logistical barriers, high equipment costs, and unreliable input supply. It added that Ghana still imports between \u201c$3.5\u20134.5 billion worth of food annually,\u201d a situation it described as unsustainable.<\/p>\n

The Minority said the country must modernise fast and embrace technology. It urged investments in \u201cAI-driven yield and catch forecasting,\u201d \u201cprecision agriculture,\u201d and \u201csmart irrigation and sustainable aquaculture systems.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Galamsey<\/figure>\n

It said this is how the country becomes competitive and builds a future-proof agricultural and blue economy.<\/p>\n

The caucus laid out several demands, including the \u201cimmediate purchase of unsold grain stock,\u201d restoration of premix fuel supply, enforcement against smuggled imports, and strong national action against illegal mining and illegal fishing. <\/p>\n

It also called for proper funding for the Feed Ghana Programme and support for modern farming and fishing tools.<\/p>\n

The statement ended with a tribute to food producers across the country. It said, \u201cTo the millions of Ghanaian farmers across our fields and the fishers upon our waters: We honour you. We celebrate you. We see your struggles. We stand with you.\u201d It added that their \u201ccourage feeds the nation\u201d and promised continued advocacy until the sector is properly modernised.<\/p>\n

The Minority said a country that allows illegal mining to destroy cocoa lands and water bodies puts its future at risk and cannot secure food for its people. It wished all farmers a happy Farmers\u2019 Day and pledged its commitment to protect their interests.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"GalamseyThe Minority in Parliament is warning that illegal mining is destroying cocoa farms, poisoning water sources, and threatening Ghana\u2019s long-term food security.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13412,5332,196,1883,10,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cocoa-growing-areas","category-food-security","category-galamsey","category-national","category-politics","category-popular"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=105483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105483\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=105483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=105483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=105483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}