| dc.description.abstract |
"Yen a ra Asaase Ni ", a popular patriotic song from Ephraim Amu
celebrates the great wealth bestowed on the country by nature. Like
this song, the national colours of Ghana (specifically the yellow in between
the Red and Green) celebrate the mineral wealth of the
country. Indeed, the name "Ghana", given after independence, is
borrowed from an old empire thought to be rich in gold.
Contemporary Ghana is endowed with mineral deposits such as gold,
diamond, manganese and bauxite. There are also unexploited economic
deposits of iron ore, limestone, kaolin, feldspar and silica sands.
Despite the blessing, lack of capacity, legal policies and institutions has
impeded Ghana's effort to maximize benefits from these resources.
Recognizing the potential of Small Scale Mining (SSM) to national
development, the Government of Ghana initiated the regularization of
Small Scale Gold Mining in 1989 with the promulgation of the Small
Scale Gold Mining Law, PNDCL218. This decision aimed to provide
technical support to SSM, capturing all the minerals produced into
official channels; generating employment and regulating the industry
in such a way that the miners operate in an environmentally friendly
manner. However, the existence of these legal frameworks mismatches
the ongoing practice, especially the activities of "galamsey"
operators. This paper seeks to interrogate the gap between theory and
practice and its causes. Using focus group discussions and in-depth
interviews of experts, it will argue that until theory matches practice it
will be difficult to benefit from our natural resources without heavy
losses on the environment and humans. |
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