Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts of Mining within the Catchment Area of Mining Companies at Tarkwa

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.