Africa-Press – Ghana. When Nyaaba Yenab returned to Zanlerigu in 2021 to farm full time after losing his job at Frimpong Farms, he hoped to feed his family and cover the medical bills of his ailing mother.
For three consecutive years, that hope was fulfilled. Between 2021 and 2023, his farm yielded between 19 and 21 bags of maize, nine bags of cowpea and several basins of okra. The surplus helped him support extended family members, including paying school fees for his nephews.
The Ordeal
But by 2024, his fortunes changed dramatically. Illegal miners invaded his farmland, destroying it in their search for gold.
“I was at the Pelungu Market when I received a call that illegal miners had taken over my farm,” Mr Yenab recalled. “When I arrived, they were in their hundreds, some armed. I feared for my life and called the police, but they said they had no means to respond.”
The miners overpowered him and devastated his land, leaving it infertile. What once yielded over 20 bags of maize now struggles to produce even five. Despite applying fertiliser, the clay-filled soil can no longer support crops such as cowpea and okra.
“Farming is no longer profitable. I have been pushed into poverty,” he lamented. “I also lost my mother. I believe her death could have been avoided if I had the means to buy her medication. The farm was our lifeline.”
Mr Yenab’s experience mirrors that of many farmers in Zanlerigu and surrounding communities. Yenpoka Satanga, a widow and mother of three, said her only source of livelihood was destroyed under similar circumstances.
She explained that although she did not own land, a four-acre plot was leased to her to farm after she lost her husband. For seven years, the land sustained her family.
“Illegal miners, including the children of the landowner who is now deceased, destroyed the farm in the name of gold,” she said. “I am old now. I cannot travel south to do menial jobs again. Farming was my last hope, and now it is gone.”
In the Gane community of the Nabdam District, 46-year-old Kurug Ndan shared a similar story. For over a decade, he cultivated groundnuts on a commercial scale, harvesting between 35 and 55 bags annually. Today, his farm lies abandoned.
“Illegal miners destroyed everything. Even when I involved the police, nothing changed,” he said. “Reclaiming the land requires money I do not have. Fighting these miners can cost you your life. I have given up.”
Growing Concern
Although comprehensive data on land degradation caused by illegal mining in the Upper East Region is lacking, stakeholders agree the problem is worsening, threatening food production and rural livelihoods.
Mr Imoro Rasheed, Nabdam District Director of Agriculture, described the situation as alarming.
“Arable and fertile lands that should be producing food are being destroyed for gold. Agriculture is under serious threat, and we are worried about the future,” he said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Joseph Salifu, the Nabdam District Police Commander, acknowledged receiving multiple complaints related to illegal mining. He cited limited logistics, inadequate personnel and the violent nature of some mining groups as challenges to enforcement.
“Many of these operations involve large numbers of people, making it difficult to respond without adequate support,” he explained, while encouraging communities to continue reporting illegal activities.
The District Chief Executive for Nabdam, Mr Francis Yenwona Tobig, also expressed concern about the growing menace of galamsey, describing it as a major threat to agriculture, forests and water bodies.
He noted that while some perpetrators justify illegal mining as a means of survival, their activities deprive farmers of their livelihoods and worsen environmental degradation.
“If the environment is destroyed, everyone suffers,” he stressed. “We must collectively fight illegal mining to protect food security and livelihoods.”
Conclusion and Recommendations
The experiences of farmers in Zanlerigu present a grim picture of how illegal mining is driving hardworking rural households into poverty. Once-productive farmlands that fed families, educated children and supported local food systems have been reduced to barren pits in the pursuit of uncertain gold deposits.
Addressing this challenge requires a multi-pronged approach. Law enforcement agencies must be adequately resourced with personnel, logistics and political backing to respond swiftly to distress calls. Community–police collaboration should also be strengthened to prevent illegal mining before it escalates.
In addition, government and relevant stakeholders must prioritise land reclamation and farmer-support programmes. Affected farmers need compensation, soil restoration assistance and alternative livelihood options to prevent further descent into poverty.
Targeted rehabilitation schemes by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, working with environmental agencies, could help restore degraded lands and support farmers with subsidised inputs and extension services, ensuring that agriculture remains a viable and dignified livelihood in the Upper East Region.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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