Ghana is now Africa’s top gold producer

This means that the West African country has toppled South Africa to be the leading gold producer on the continent.

The data showed that Ghana exported 158 tonnes of gold in 2018 which is an increase of about 15% against the previous year.

Meanwhile, South Africa produced 139.3 tonnes and returned to the high volumes of the 1980s.

It said mining firms operating in the country include Newmont Mining Corporation, Gold Fields, AngloGold Ashanti, and Asanko Gold.

The World Bank also conceded that mining is affecting the environment, especially in developing countries like Ghana where illegal mining is affecting water bodies among others.

To address this challenge, the World Bank has said that four regions in Ghana which are affected by the environmental damage and pollution associated with destructive artisanal mining and logging practices will benefit from a scale-up of the Ghana Forest Investment Program.

The World Bank approved additional financing of $19.39 million to the programme last week.

The programme is already implementing activities focusing on agricultural drivers of deforestation by working with cocoa farmers and communities to rehabilitate and protect forest reserves.

The additional financing operation aims at complementing these activities by piloting approaches to and benefits of reclamation of mining sites, which will reduce erosion currently polluting public watercourses and engage the private sector in plantation development to reduce pressure on natural forests.

China tops the global pact followed by Australia, Russia and the United States of America.