Introduction
Over the past years, illegal mining in Ghana has transformed from a mere survival strategy for the marginalised into a sophisticated commercial operation that attracts sizable foreign investment. The article traces the historical context and evolution of illegal mining in Ghana, its socioeconomic impacts, and environmental consequences. This article points, through this interrelationship of local practices and foreign involvement, to the challenges faced by the locals and their urgent need for natural resource management that is truly sustainable. The purpose of such an examination is to facilitate a better understanding of what illegal mining could portend for the environment and livelihoods of those most affected
Historical Context and Current Trends
Most illegal mining in Ghana throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s involved individuals of low socioeconomic status. Miners typically scavenged around goldsmith households or recovered residues from gold left behind by mining companies using very primitive methods and hazardous substances such as mercury. This was largely a means of survival for those with limited economic opportunities. The artisanal and small-scale mining industry in Ghana has been the site of a very significant, recent inflow of foreign migrants-particularly from China. Encouraged by local collaborators, over 50,000 Chinese gold seekers flocked to rural Ghana between 2008 and 2016 in search of riches (Antwi-Boateng & Akudugu, 2020; Boafo et al., 2019; Hilson et al., 2014). Heavy machinery, including bulldozers and excavators, completely altered the dynamics within the region. This shift not only increased the scale of extraction but also increased environmental degradation. Kumah 2022); Debrah & Asante, 2019; Crawford & Botchwey 2017). Such technologies introduced into local practice are in line with Rodney’s assertion that contact between different cultures-especially if one culture is more highly developed technologically than the other-can have a negative impact on the less developed culture (Rodney 1972).
Hardin’s concept of the “tragedy of the commons” brings forth the unsustainability in the exploitation of a finite resource like gold, when he argued that a finite resource can only support a finite population (Hardin, 1964). The gold reserves in Ghana are finite, and if not managed in ways that are sustainable, they will definitely get used up. The result has been the issuance of over 1,900 mining licences in the last eight years alone, compared to 99 mining licences issued between 1988 and 2016 (Bekoe, 2024). Clearly, such expansion has led to an unprecedented rise in mining activities across the country, conveniently exploited by large-scale mining operations without rigorous oversight and policing.
This is compounded by the recent regulation passed into law in 2022, L.I.2462, titled the Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) Regulations of 2022, adding unto the driving forces that are currently stretching the ecological system of the country toward its tipping or threshold. The said regulations, though enacted to permit mining in the forest reserves, go in direct opposition of Ghana’s international commitments to combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and manage land in a sustainable manner posing a great threat to ecosystems, hence undermining the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 15 that focuses on life on land
Consequences, Responses and Protest From The Pubic
The socioeconomic landscape of mining communities has shifted dramatically. While the influx of investment from foreign companies has created jobs and generated revenue, the benefits are disproportionately enjoyed by external actors. Local communities, on the other hand, face the dire consequences of environmental degradation, health crises, and loss of vital resources.
In regions like Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, illegal mining activities have led to critical levels of environmental degradation. Water sources that local populations have depended on for generations have become contaminated with heavy metals such as cyanide, arsenic, and mercury. These toxic substances pose severe health risks, particularly to vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and their unborn children, as studies have shown that these toxins can accumulate in placentas, leading to birth defects.
These effects have therefore created a high level of public outcry and organised protests. In that respect, the civil society organisation, traditional authority, and individual citizens were all in league to illustrate this no less destructive practice. Prominent figures, like the Asantehene destooled some chiefs who were indulging in illegal mining activities, illustrating the cultural and leadership dimensions. Thousands of protesters hit the streets in Accra, demanding immediate intervention by the government to end illegal mining and its devastating impacts on land and water resources. In solidarity, the Catholic Church plans on organising a peaceful march to create awareness and demand policy changes over illegal mining. Labour unions across the country are getting ready to declare a nationwide strike while underscoring that the sentiment of concern about the negative impact of Galamsey upon employment, health, and the environment had become generalised in the country.
These collective actions point out an increased awareness by Ghanaians of the need for sustainability and increased accountability in mining, as communities seek to safeguard their livelihoods and natural resources.
Conclusion
The development of illegal mining in Ghana reflects the higher story of resource use and accompanying impacts. Whereas for a certain group of people, it brought some short-run economic relief, in the long term, the implication this has for the local community and the environment is alarming. While others are reaping the benefits elsewhere, locals bear the costs. The question now is how to restore the balance through an all-encompassing approach that prioritises sustainability, effective regulation, health and livelihoods. And without the adoption of proper measures, Ghana is in danger of sacrificing its natural heritage as well as the well-being of its people to an insatiable lust for gold.
Reference
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