Abstract:
Studies on the impact of mining on socio-economic activities, health and the
environment were undertaken within the catchment of three multinational
mining companies at Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana. This evaluation
was done through questionnaire surveys, interviews, focus group discussions
and a review of monitoring reports of statutory institutions and existing
environmental management regulatory systems/policies in the country. The
study found out that mining companies have provided some social, health and
educational facilities in communities within their catchment. Nonetheless,
mining has resulted in increased air and water pollution, land displacement,
poverty and diseases. This situation has arisen due to certain weaknesses in
the institutional and regulatory frameworks governing the mining industry.
These include inadequate capacity in human and material resources of
statutory institutions to enforce legislation, the confidentiality of
environmental audit reports, and the low participation of communities in
environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes.