Health experts in the veterinary sector at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) are raising alarms over the devastating effects of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, on bee populations.
According to citinewsroom.com, during the launch of the Bee Health Club at KNUST on March 15, 2025, Dr William Tasiameh, Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine, stated deforestation, which is a result of illegal mining, poses a serious threat to bee populations by destroying their natural habitats and reducing available forage. "Bees need trees, and if the environment is being destroyed, as seen in the case of galamsey, it becomes a serious issue.
We are cutting down trees and destroying our forests, which poses a significant challenge to the survival of bees.
They need space, trees, flowers, and a conducive environment to reproduce, just as nature intended." He further stated that contaminated water from galamsey sites poses a significant threat to the quality of honey production. "Bees drink from these water bodies that are heavily polluted through illegal mining operations… It affects the livelihoods and survival of these bees," he added.
