IMGA GeoHealth Working Group Highlights Environmental Health Risks at the 2nd International Geodiversity Day Symposium in Ghana
On the occasion of the 2nd International Geodiversity Day Symposium held at the Dormaa Campus of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Ghana, members of the IMGA GeoHealth Working Group presented key research findings investigating heavy metal exposures and non-communicable disease (NCD) risks in the Dormaa Municipality.
The research forms part of an ongoing collaborative effort between international IMGA partners from the National Centre of Geoanalysis-China and local Ghanaian IMGA researchers in the Working Group led by Professor Emmanuel Arhin: Fieldwork & Writing: Led by the Ghana GeoHealth research group and students from the Geoenvironmental Science program at UENR. Analytical Testing: High-precision geochemical sample analyses conducted by working group partners at the National Centre of Geoanalysis (CAGS) in Beijing, China, by the chairman of the Geohealth Working Group, Prof. Darwen Liu and his team.
Speaking on the sidelines of the symposium themed “Geodiversity and Environmental Sustainability,” lead researcher and IMGA GeoHealth Working Group Co-Chair, Prof. Emmanuel Arhin, revealed elevated environmental levels of lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) within agricultural and residential zones in the municipality. The ongoing investigation focuses on tracing the pathways of these toxic trace elements, which are linked to intensive chemical-use agriculture, poultry waste management practices, some unregulated gold mining activities and industrial activities.
The event featured strong multi-stakeholder engagement. Keynote contributions included Dr. Henry K. Kokofu (former Executive Director of the Ghana Environmental Protection Authority), who stressed the regulatory and constitutional obligations of environmental protection.
Keynote Speaker, Dr. Henry K. Kokofu, delivering his address to the audience, while the Bono Regional Director of Health Services awaits his turn to deliver his speech.
and Barima Twumasi Bekoe (Chief of Kofiasua and Twafohene of the Dormaa Traditional Council), who pledged the support of traditional authorities in executing community-based environmental interventions.
Barima Twumasi Bekoe, the Sanaa queenm other of the Dormaa Traditional Council and the municipal chief officer seated or participating in the event
Dormaahene representative making his presentation
This collaborative work highlights IMGA’s mission to connect geological science with public health solutions, demonstrating how international analytical partnerships directly inform local governance and community prevention strategies.