The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ahanta West Municipal District, Ebenezer Aidoo, has expressed concern over how illegal mining activities are luring young people away from the rubber industry with the promise of quick money.

Speaking on JoyNews AM Show, he said many youth are abandoning stable employment in rubber plantations for illegal mining (galamsey) because they believe the returns are higher.

“When they go to the rubber estate, if they are marked one cedi, now if you go to the galamsey site, it’s going to be marked times five. So, that is the appetite for these young people — that when I go to any galamsey site, I’m going to make more money,” Aidoo said.

The MCE noted that this growing interest in galamsey is threatening the survival of the rubber industry, which plays a crucial role in the local economy of Ahanta West. 

He stressed that hundreds of residents depend on rubber plantations and farming for their livelihoods.

He added that the assembly is rolling out alternative livelihood programmes aimed at creating attractive economic opportunities to discourage young people from venturing into illegal mining.

“We are taking it up to make sure that we can save the rubber industry because our economy in Ahanta West also depends on it,” he explained. 

“We have a huge chunk of people working in this rubber plantation and rubber farming, and we’ll see how best we work it out.”

Ebenezer Aidoo also highlighted the significance of rubber to the local economy, noting that truckloads of raw rubber are transported regularly from the area, a sign of its economic contribution.

Illegal mining continues to pose environmental, economic, and social challenges across Ghana.

In several communities, the sector has drawn labour away from agriculture and other legitimate industries, fuelling concerns about sustainability and community development.

The MCE maintained that protecting the rubber industry is key to sustaining jobs and preserving economic stability in Ahanta West.