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Galamsey
Ghana is the largest gold producer on the African continent.
Almost one-third of Ghana's gold is illegally mined in operations called "galamsey" (meaning "gather and sell"). See all photos in Galamsey Collection.
Discover Galamsey Story
Ghana is the largest gold producer on the African continent. However, for most resource-rich countries in Africa, this is a double-edged sword, often tied to capitalist neo-colonialism.
The majority of Ghana's gold wealth is owned by foreign companies, and the agreements between global corporations and the government are kept confidential.
The registered income from gold is $5 billion annually, while unregistered income from smuggling is almost double. Smuggled gold mainly comes from galamsey operations, where workers receive only $1 a day, and children work for free.
Ghana's gold finds its way to countries such as the USA, Canada, China, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland. Once it leaves illegal mines, pervasive corruption makes it impossible to trace its origin, so it quickly enters the legal market. It ends up in banks, jewelry shops, and companies manufacturing expensive branded electronic devices destined for highly developed countries.
Almost one-third of Ghana's gold is illegally mined in operations called "galamsey" (meaning "find and sell"). Over 3 million people (10% of the country's population) make a living from galamsey, with approximately 1 million people directly involved in mining.
In the pursuit of gold that goes to the world's wealthiest nations, the natural environment is irreversibly destroyed, forests are cut down, and rivers are poisoned. Due to internal labor migration related to gold mining, agricultural production and many local industries essential for the country's proper functioning also decline.
