South-South Irregular Migration: The Impacts of China’s Informal Gold Rush in Ghana
Date
2018
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Migration
Abstract
This article examines irregular South-South migration from China to Ghana, and the role it
played in transforming livelihoods and broader developmental landscapes. It looks at the
entry of approximately 50,000 Chinese migrants into the informal small-scale gold mining
sector from 2008-2013. These migrants mainly hailed from Shanglin County in Guangxi
Province. In Ghana, they formed mutually beneficial relationships with local miners, both
legal and illegal, introducing machinery that substantially increased gold production. However, the legal status of Chinese miners was particularly problematic as, by law, small-scale mining is restricted to Ghanaian citizens. In mid-2013, President Mahama established
a military task force against illegal mining, resulting in the deportation of many Chinese
miners. The article examines the experiences of both Chinese migrants and Ghanaian miners. Findings are that irregular migration into an informal sector had long-lasting impacts
and played a significant role in the transformation of economic, political, and physical
landscapes in Ghana
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Irregular Migration, Gold Rush, China, Ghana