Planting food crops on reclaimed Galamsey sites dangerous – Dr. Ebenezer Agyemang warns

Renowned Herbal Medicine practitioner Dr. Ebenezer Agyemang

Renowned Herbal Medicine practitioner Dr. Ebenezer Agyemang is cautioning the government about the dangers of using reclaimed galamsey lands for planting food crops.

According to him, cultivating coconut, palm trees, and other food crops on these sites will be detrimental to Ghana’s health.

Dr. Agyemang revealed on OTEC FM’s morning show Nyansapo on Tuesday November 18, 2025 that research has found foods planted on reclaimed galamsey sites are not fit for human consumption.

“I first heard from the MP for Dunkwa who claimed they are reclaiming mining sites, which is a positive move, but what shocked me was the MP saying they will use the reclaimed lands to cultivate coconut and palm trees,” he said.

“Initially, I thought it was a passing comment until I heard the president echoing the same move, a decision that sent shivers down my spine,” Dr. Agyemang added.

He urged the academia close to the president to show him research documents, including a study by the Crop Research Institute and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) 15 years ago, highlighting the risks of cultivating food crops on reclaimed galamsey lands.

“Mind you, there’s a huge difference between land gaining its nutrients and toxicity, so plants may grow well on such lands, however, the crops will be contaminated by the toxic substances from mining, which will make it difficult to consume,” Dr. Agyemang explained.

In his submission, Dr. Agyeman appealed to the government to find a holistic approach to its reclamation efforts to protect foods in the country.

Source: Ghana/otecfghana.com