Prof Dr Paul Poku Sampene Ossei, a Forensic Histopathologist and former Head of Pathology at KNUST and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), has revealed 500 spontaneous abortions linked to galamsey-related placental contamination.
According to him, his ongoing research links at least 500 cases of spontaneous abortions in Ghana to high levels of heavy metals in the placenta caused by galamsey activities.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, September 27, Prof. Sampene stated, “I have about 500 cases where women go to the hospital and abort their babies because of the concentration of these heavy metals in their placenta”.
“The placentas are all contaminated, polluted with heavy metals,” he said.
He further urged both the NDC and NPP to come together and fight galamsey.
According to Prof Sampene, Ghana is heading toward a public health disaster if decisive action is not taken to tackle illegal mining.
Prof Sampene argued that political point-scoring and complacency will only deepen the crisis.
He added, “I would have wished that the two main political parties, NDC and NPP, come together and say enough is enough”.
“Whatever it is that we are doing, whether we are downplaying the whole thing or using it as political capital, it will not help anybody. We should be very serious about it and solve this problem,” he stressed.
Prof. Sampene further highlighted the extent to which illegal mining activities are affecting maternal and child health.
He explained, “The placentas are all contaminated, polluted with heavy metals. I have examined over 4,000 of them from different regions in Ghana, and both the maternal side and the foetal side show these metals.”
“Do we have what it takes to even solve the kidney diseases that are coming out now? Dialysis is very expensive, and nobody gets it for free. Children are also being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. These are the realities we have to face,” he cautioned.
He further revealed, “Most of them fear for their lives, but they tell me they are recording a lot of deformities in babies. This is very real.
If the child is at risk, let us see how best we can mitigate it so that the child will survive and live a quality life one day.
Otherwise, we will soon see people walking but with very high cognitive impairment. Mercury inhalation alone can damage the brain. We are seriously in trouble,” he warned.
In related galamsey news, three illegal miners have been reported dead after a galamsey pit collapse at Twifo Mampong in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District of the Central Region on Thursday.
Reports suggest the victims were part of a group of five who entered the pit secretly.
At around 1 am, the walls of the mine collapsed, trapping the galamseyers in the pit.
The Twifo Praso District Police Command, the DCE Isaac Tawson, NADMO, and the Ghana National Fire Service were able to retrieve three bodies from the pit after four hours of rescue work.
The fourth body is yet to be retrieved; however, the fifth person operating a pumping machine outside the pit escaped the pit collapse.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has ordered the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS) Task Force to be firm, resolute and ruthless.
According to the Lands Minister, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations has the full support of President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking at the deployment of the NAIMOS Task Force in Sunyani on Sunday, September 28, 2025, Armah-Kofi Buah stated, “The fight against illegal mining is not going to stop, and every measure at the Presidency is going to be used. I charge you with a profound sense of duty and patriotism.
Any recalcitrant who enters these zones is not only a trespasser, but also an enemy of the state. You are to be firm, resolute, and ruthless.
“You will take no obtrusive intrusion from any big man. Remember, the biggest man in Ghana is the President, and he is the one who has sent you,” Mr Buah declared.
“The most powerful person in this country, the President, is fully backing you on this mission. The NDC does not and will not endorse what our President is against. In the bush or in a water body, there is no political colour.
So, if anybody goes in the name of a political colour, arrest the person. If anybody comes in the name of the President, also arrest the person,” he said.
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