Abstract:
In Ghana, the extractive industry is vital in generating significant revenue.
Nonetheless, the extractive industry has amounted to severe environmental
hazards to the country‟s ecology. As a result, the state has developed diverse
measures to contain the crisis and maintain the state‟s ecological integrity.
However, these measures appear counter-productive due to biases in the
mining industry regarding the fight against galamsey associated with the
small-scale mining sector vis-à-vis the activities of the multinational mining
companies in the industry. This study sought to investigate the intricacies and
power relations within Ghana‟s mining industry. The study employed a
qualitative approach and purposive sampling technique to select participants.
Semi-structured interview protocols were used for the data collection, and
thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected. The study revealed
that existing laws and actions of the regulatory bodies and other stakeholders
tend to favour multinational mining companies while impeding the growth of
the small-scale mining sector. Also, unrestricted land acquisition by largescale
mining companies and limited land availability demarcated for smallscale
mining has resulted in rampant illegal activities in the industry. The
study recommends that the state engage in inclusive consultations with key
stakeholders to revise the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) and
develop alternative solutions for the effective regulation and growth of the
small-scale sector. Additionally, the regulatory bodies should refrain from
granting forest reserves to large-scale mining firms and influential individuals
and provide adequate geo-scientific information on demarcated land areas for
small-scale mining to discourage mining in restricted areas.
