We Desire to Mine Legally but the License Procedure Put Us Off: Perspectives from Illegal Miners in Fanteakwa South and Atiwa East Districts of the Eastern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: Ghana is touted to be among the first African countries to acknowledge the need to regularize and formalize small-scale mining operations as a means to ensure sustainability of the mining sector. Despite Ghana’s efforts, evidence and experiences show that illegal mining still persist. This study is among a few on knowledge and perception of ‘illegal miners’ on the processes of acquiring small-scale mining licenses from regulatory institutions. It also discusses how ‘illegal mining’ activities can be linked to procedures involved in acquiring small-scale mining permits. Design/Methodology: Methods used were administering of questionnaires to 200 people involved in small-scale mining and interview of 8 government officials in charge of issuing mining licenses and permits. Findings: Findings on knowledge of miners and their understanding of procedures for acquiring mining licenses show that the majority of them have limited knowledge on mining license procedures and regulations. Furthermore, the study revealed that high cost of obtaining license coupled with bureaucratic delays deter miners from obtaining license for their operations. The study concludes that lack of sound knowledge on procedures to acquire mining permits has contributed to poor regularization of illegal mining operations that destroy the environment.