Massive Offshore Mining Licenses Trigger Panic Over Ghana’s Coastal Waters

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are demanding an immediate review of offshore gold exploration activities planned along Ghana’s coastline, warning of potential catastrophic impacts on marine ecosystems and fishing communities.

The environmental watchdog groups are calling on government authorities to provide full transparency regarding several offshore reconnaissance licenses reportedly granted to GoldCoast Resource Corp.

According to the organizations, the sweeping licenses cover an immense stretch of Ghana’s coastline, spanning from Half Assini in the Western Region all the way to Winneba in the Central Region, with concessions extending directly into the sea.

A major point of contention is the threat that these licensed blocks may overlap with protected Inshore Exclusion Zones, which are legally reserved exclusively for artisanal fishing communities.

The CSOs expressed grave concern over proposed marine seismic surveys and deep seabed drilling, warning that heavy offshore operations could destroy critical fish breeding grounds, disrupt migration routes, and devastate local livelihoods.

To address these growing worries, the coalition is urging state regulators to immediately publish the full details, exact GPS coordinates, and operational conditions of the granted exploration permits.

They are also advocating for a comprehensive, independent environmental impact assessment to determine if the concessions encroach upon vulnerable marine sanctuaries or key economic fishing grounds.

The coalition maintains that the government must carefully evaluate whether short-term mineral extraction in coastal waters is worth risking the long-term food security and environmental health of the nation.