Amonoo-Neizer EH, Amekor EM.

University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

The total arsenic content of some Ghana food and cash crops from Kumasi and Obuasi farms and markets was determined.

Quantitative analysis of arsenic was also conducted on vegetation, cooked food obtained from some homes, local fish, and meat, as well as some soil and water samples.

In all, 266 samples were examined.

Values for Kumasi samples ranged from 0.07 to 7.20 mg/kg arsenic, whereas those for Obuasi ranged from 0.12 to 70.50 mg/kg, confirming that arsenic levels for Obuasi are much higher than those for Kumasi.

Source :

PubMed

Gold Rush: The impact of gold mining on poor people in Obuasi in Ghana


AngloGold Ashanti causing erious environmental pollution and social problems as a result of gold mining in Ghana

Report highlighting how poor communities in Obuasi, Ghana are suffering environmental pollution and social problems apparently as a result of gold mining activity. It examines how rivers and streams have been polluted with arsenic, iron, manganese and heavy metals from past gold mining activities by Anglo American’s subsidiary, AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) and its predecessor, Ashanti Goldfields Corporation (AGC).

According to the report AGA is failing to report its activities accurately to shareholders and the public and some of these failures are serious. There are at least three areas in which evidence collected by this report contradicts claims made by AGA:

on-going water contamination up to 38 times above maximum legal limits, environmental damage and toxic flooding affecting local food security in the Obuasi area
discrepancies between AGA’s claims to have provided adequate compensation after a toxic spill and testimony by local witnesses...

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