Tongo’s Mining Boom: The human cost beneath the glitter

In the dusty mining town of Gbane Kejetia in the Upper East Region of Ghana, dawn unveils a scene all too common. Abigail (not her real name), a pregnant teenager, sits on her bed clutching a battered English textbook, while fighting waves of morning sickness. She dreams of being in school but is held back by her reality.

“I try to attend whenever the pain subsides,” she says softly, tears smudging the worn pages of her book. At school, her presence elicits whispers and isolation from peers, a stark reminder of the stigma she faces. Her mother, the family’s sole provider, looks on helplessly. “She’s all I have,” the mother says, her voice cracking. “She still dreams of becoming a nurse.”

14-year-old Abigail’s story mirrors those of countless young girls in the mining communities in the region. The promise of gold has brought prosperity to some but has cast a long shadow over others, with teenage pregnancies and school dropouts becoming the consequences of the mining boom.

A growing crisis: Teenage pregnancy

At the Talensi District Hospital, midwife Asaana Azure Doris, deals daily with the fallout of the teenage pregnancy crisis.

Every month, we register four to five teenage pregnancies.  These are children carrying children. Their bodies are not ready for pregnancy, and their minds are not prepared for motherhood, she laments”.

In 2020, the Talensi District reported 564 teenage pregnancies. In 2021, the figure shot up to 610 the highest in the Upper East Region for that year.  The rising numbers reflect a broader issue exacerbated by the influx of wealth into the region and its darker consequences.  Girls are often lured by miners with money and gifts, and the resulting pregnancies derail their education and burden them with lifelong responsibilities.

The evolution of mining in Tongo

Mining in the Talensi District began in the early 1990s when locals discovered gold in what was once a dense forest. Over time, towering trees gave way to open pits and heavy machinery, transforming the landscape – and the lives of its inhabitants.

Formal mining operations started in 1999 with the arrival of Kejetia Mining Company, though it struggled to succeed against a large number of small-scale local miners.

By 2008, the industry saw a surge with the entry of Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited, a Chinese-owned company. Over the years, additional large-scale mining operations, such as Cardinal Namdini Mining Company, further reshaped the district.

During the commissioning of Cardinal Namdini, President Nana Akufo-Addo heralded mining as a path to economic growth. Yet beneath the surface of prosperity lies a story of broken communities, rising crime, and strained social systems.

Education sacrificed for gold

In Sheaga, Elijah, 14, and his 16-year-old friend stand by a dirt road, waiting for a ride to Biung, a mining hub. Dust clings to their clothes, marking them as child labourers.

“I stopped school in class six.  My friends were buying motorbikes and clothes from galamsey money. I couldn’t sit in my torn uniform watching them, Elijah says”.

Like Elijah, many children have abandoned classrooms for mining pits. At St. Anthony Basic School in Gbane, teacher Lambert Yampudat sees the toll firsthand.

“At least 15 students miss class daily,” he says, pointing at an incomplete register. “Most go to the mines or help their parents there. Education doesn’t seem important to them anymore.”

Despite a 2021 by-law aimed at keeping children in school, enforcement remains weak. For these children, the lure of gold often outweighs the promise of education.

Health, welfare, and the gendered toll

Girls face unique vulnerabilities in mining communities. Many are preyed upon by miners, leading to pregnancies that compromise their health and future. Nabil Emelia, a 15-year-old student, shares her experience.

“Miners promise you phones or money if you sleep with them.  For some, your age doesn’t matter,” she explains.

The consequences are dire. Many teenage  mothers drop out of school, and at the district hospital, complications from teenage pregnancies are common. High blood pressure and depression plague these girls, whose bodies and minds are unprepared for motherhood.

The societal repercussions are equally devastating. Many families reject young mothers, leaving them to fend for themselves and trapping them in cycles of poverty.

A surge in crime and insecurity

As wealth flows in  Tongo, so too does crime. Armed robbery attacks have become a grim reality. Mohammed Baba (not his real name), recalls how he was attacked twice on the road between Gbane and Tongo.

“They took everything. The second time, they killed one of us. I still hear the gunshots in my dreams”, he recounts.

The Fourth Estate’s efforts to obtain crime statistics from the police and the Tongo District Assembly were unsuccessful.

Mining has attracted fortune seekers from across the country, but it has also brought opportunists willing to exploit vulnerabilities. Poor road network and inadequate police resources have only worsened the situation.

Community leaders, such as Prince Abdalla Kwadanaab, trace the rise in crime to the 2019 ban on small-scale mining, which displaced many local miners. “Unemployed youth have turned to robbery,” he states, calling for greater security measures.

Hope amid the challenges

Despite the grim realities, efforts are underway to address these challenges. Organizations like School for Life are working to improve education in mining communities.

“Children’s education often takes a backseat to immediate economic pressures.  We need collective action to change this reality”, Dorcas Yingura Zoogah, a field officer with the organization suggests.  

Community leaders like Prince Abdalla also advocate for mining companies to take responsibility for the social challenges their operations have created. “Engaging local leaders and empowering women and children is crucial”, he says.

Meanwhile, local authorities are collaborating with mining companies to improve road infrastructure and enhance security. Cardinal Namdini Mining Company has already constructed a new road, and the district assembly is optimistic about its impact on reducing crime.

A community at a crossroads

The mining boom in Tongo has brought undeniable economic benefits, but it has also revealed deep fractures in the social fabric. For Abigail, Elijah, and countless others, the cost of gold is far more personal.

As the sun sets over Tongo, the glitter of gold is overshadowed by the struggles of those left behind. Only through sustained efforts and collective accountability can the promise of mining truly benefit all.

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The author of this report, Sulemana Zakaria, is a Fellow of the 2024 Next Generation Investigative Journalism Fellowship at the Media Foundation for West Africa