The Environmental Impact of the Extraction Industry in Africa

In Ghana, a tragic incident occurred at the Wassa gold mine in Benso, resulting in the loss of life of a small-scale miner and injuries to four others. The incident took place during an attempt by police and security forces to remove illegal artisanal miners from the site owned by Golden Star Resources. The presence of illegal mining in an abandoned part of the mine’s concession area had impeded the operations of the owner, Golden Star Resources. The company had suspended mining activity due to falling gold prices and discovered that the abandoned pit had become a site for artisanal mining and cocoa cultivation during the mine’s inactive period. Despite the company’s efforts to warn small-scale miners to cease their illegal activities, the unfortunate incident of violence occurred on March 23, leading to the suspension of operations at the mine pending police investigations.

ExxonMobil’s decision to sell its onshore oil assets in Nigeria to Seplat Energy for $1.3 billion has been met with criticism from local communities in the Niger Delta. Residents have accused ExxonMobil of causing environmental devastation in the region and failing to address the polluted soil and waterways resulting from its operations. Despite the company’s claims of divesting in favour of cleaner energy and due to security concerns, the affected communities in Ibeno have reported a lack of response from ExxonMobil on spill-related compensation and remediation claims. The company’s impending departure has also raised concerns about the absence of a comprehensive audit of its environmental impacts and the failure to set up a “decommissioning fund” as required by a new petroleum industry law enacted in 2021. These grievances have reignited calls for ExxonMobil to take responsibility for the environmental damage left in its wake and ensure proper remediation before its exit from Nigeria.

In South Africa, the environmental justice group GroundWork has expressed concern about the potential impact of gas exploration, particularly in the Mpumalanga and Free State provinces. The group has raised issues about the potential environmental consequences of drilling into coal beds for gas extraction, highlighting the threat to water supplies and the risk of prolonging the use of polluting fossil fuels. The report by GroundWork also highlights the need for a just transition that includes ordinary people and advocates for community-led projects focused on self-sufficiency in food production and renewable energy, rather than a profit-driven approach to the energy transition.

These stories from the commodities industry in Africa draw attention to the complex challenges and conflicts arising from extractive operations that not only impact the environment but also intersect with local communities and their livelihoods.

This report was contributed to by Mabel Adorkor Annang, Anna Majavu, and Ini Ekott.