TOXIC MERCURY FOUND IN KONTOMIRE AND OTHER FOODSTUFFS IN MINING REGIONS – 2025 REPORT WARNS OF SEVERE HEALTH RISKS

A new report has raised alarm over dangerous levels of mercury contamination in food crops cultivated in Ghana’s mining regions, warning of dire health consequences for both children and adults.

The 2025 Mercury and Other Heavy Metals Impacts Assessment Report, released this week, reveals that widely consumed foodstuffs such as kontomire (cocoyam leaves), plantain, and cassava now contain toxic mercury residues traced to illegal mining activities (galamsey).

According to the findings, mercury levels in some samples far exceed safe limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Scientists caution that the continued consumption of such food poses serious long-term health risks. In adults, mercury exposure is linked to kidney failure, liver damage, and cancers, while in children it can cause irreversible brain damage, stunted growth, and impaired learning abilities.

“Communities in mining zones are essentially eating poison every day without knowing it,” the report noted, stressing that the contamination comes from polluted soils and rivers used for irrigation and household farming.

The revelation has sparked renewed concerns about the unchecked spread of galamsey across the country. Aside from destroying forest reserves and polluting water bodies, illegal mining is now creeping into the food chain, threatening food security and public health.

Public health experts are urging government agencies, including the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to step up monitoring and enforce strict food safety regulations. They also recommend urgent interventions such as mass testing of foodstuffs in affected regions, public education, and stronger community action against illegal mining.

Observers argue that the findings further highlight the failure of authorities to take proactive measures against galamsey. “It is tragic that we always wait until the crisis has escalated before responding. This is not only an environmental issue but a public health emergency,” the report emphasized.

The assessment concludes with a call for urgent collaboration between state institutions, civil society, and local communities to protect Ghana’s food systems from irreversible contamination.