article · Heliyon
Efforts by state institutions in Ghana to eradicate illegal artisanal and small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey, often overlook the personal characteristics of community members that drive these activities. Using cross-sectional survey data gathered from 342 semi-structured household questionnaires, the research examines how local socio-demographic features influence mining participation. The results indicate that 69.3 percent of surveyed community dwellers engage in galamsey operations. Binary logistic regression analysis established that socio-demographic factors, specifically age, marital status, religious status, and educational status, significantly determine participation in illegal mining. These findings confirm that local population characteristics contribute substantially to the rise of artisanal mining operations. Addressing this trend requires targeted interventions from the government and relevant stakeholders, specifically through the creation of viable employment opportunities for rural youth and increased investment to raise educational attainment levels in rural communities.
State interventions against illegal mining frequently rely on enforcement without addressing the personal circumstances that lead residents into informal extraction. By identifying age, marital status, religion, and education as decisive factors in galamsey participation, this research highlights the necessity of social and economic solutions. It shows that tackling youth unemployment and expanding rural schooling are crucial prerequisites for curbing unlawful mining activities.
The abstract does not indicate an application or commercialisation pathway, focusing instead on socio-demographic survey findings and public policy recommendations.
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In spite of the persistent efforts by the responsible state institutions to eradicate galamsey operations in Ghana, little attention is given to the inhabitants' characteristics that may affect the surge in illegal mining operations. This study was designed to investigate whether local community dwellers' socio-demographic characteristics affect their participation in galamsey activities-an aspect that has not been independently investigated in the scientific literature. Cross-sectional survey quantitative data were sourced using 342 semi-structured household questionnaires. The results showed that the majority (69.3%) of the local dwellers engaged in galamsey operations. The binary logistic regression model showed that socio-demographic variables such as age, marital status, religious status and educational status of the respondents significantly determined their participation in illegal mining activities. The study, therefore, concludes that local dwellers' socio-demographic characteristics significantly influence their participation in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations and contribute to the surge in illegal mining activities in Ghana. The study recommends that the Government of Ghana and related stakeholders should focus on creating more youth jobs of significant prospects in local communities. In addition, investing in education and promoting the agenda of higher educational attainment in rural areas is a forward-looking step to reducing the growing illegal mining activities in the country.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09039
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