Large-scale mining and ecological imperialism in Africa: the politics of mining and conservation of the ecology in Ghana

Abstract

The article draws on the insights of political ecology to illuminate the politics shaping the enforcement of environmental regulation in the mining sector of Ghana. We argue that the Ghanaian state uses strong-arm measures against artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operators, particularly, the subaltern classes engaged in the industry for survival. Periodically, the state deploys the military and the police to clamp down on ASM for destroying the environment, but treats with kid gloves foreign companies engaged in large-scale mining (LSM), wreaking similar disastrous ecological effects on mining communities. The state believes that LSM by foreign companies is a source of foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign mining companies should be incentivized to come and stay in the country. Presented in broad-brush strokes as illegal (galamsey), the Ghanaian state sees ASM as an environmental menace to be fought with all the coercive apparatuses that it can command. Disputing this claim, the article argues that mining-FDI is essentially ecological imperialism, wreaking havoc on the ecosystem of mining communities whose livelihood strategies are in conflict with the accumulation and political interests of foreign mining companies and the Ghanaian political class respectively. The article demonstrates that concerns over the harmful impacts of mining on the ecology of Ghana are neither class-neutral nor free of politics. They are rather highly imbricated in power structures and relations, in which the interest of the ruling class is supreme in the enforcement of environmental regulations in Ghana. The paradox of the biases of the Ghanaian state against ASM, particularly ASM operated by its own citizens for survival, and in favor of foreign mining companies engaged in LSM for profits, is explained with the insights of ecological imperialism.Keywords: Large-scale mining, artisanal and small-scale mining, Operation Vanguard, Ghanaian state biases, ecological imperialism

Framing illegal artisanal and small-scale gold mining in the Ghanaian media during the #StopGalamsey campaign

“…Even within the DG's coverage of galamsey, the LSM bias, widely addressed in the literature (Siegel & Veiga 2009; Hilson et al 2018a; Sovacool 2019; Hilson & Maconachie 2020 a , 2020 b ; Hilson et al . 2020; Holley et al 2020; Sauerwein 2020), became evident as the environmental damage is attributed overwhelmingly to ASM, with the result that LSM actors do not seem to bear their share of responsibility for the fallout, although such a presentation is misleading (Ayelazuno & Mawuko-Yevugah 2019).…”

“…In 1986, Ghana implemented the Minerals and Mining Law (PNDCL 153), which privatised the sector and opened it up to foreign large-scale mining (LSM) companies. The formalisation of the ASM industry came after a delay of three years, by which time a widespread phenomenon in the mining sector – the clear prioritisation of LSM, or large-scale mining ‘bias’ (Siegel & Veiga 2009; Ayelazuno & Mawuko-Yevugah 2019; Sovacool 2019; Hilson & Maconachie 2020 a , 2020 b ; Hilson et al . 2020; Holley et al 2020; Sauerwein 2020) had already become evident.…”

“…The #StopGalamsey campaign, also referred to as #StopGalamseyNow (SGNC), which started in early 2017, is an Accra-based and media-led initiative aiming to raise public awareness of the impacts of galamsey while calling for the curbing of it. It was initiated within a climate of already growing concerns about the negative environmental impacts of galamsey resulting from its expansion and uncontrolled mechanisation (Crawford & Botchwey 2020: 197), while public condemnation of it over the past years has already been high (Hilson 2017; Ayelazuno & Mawuko-Yevugah 2019; Crawford & Botchwey 2020; Eduful et al 2020; Osei et al 2021). A crucial point for the formation of SGNC then became the concerns expressed by The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) about water pollution and calling for urgent action, otherwise Ghana would need to import drinking water from abroad (Allotey 2017).…”

“…The creators of the campaign were employees of the Accra-based radio station Citi FM , who took the debate on galamsey onto Twitter under the hashtag #StopGalamsey in order to mobilise public support against it and pressure the government to respond to the menace (Ayelazuno & Mawuko-Yevugah 2019: 246). In April 2017, they took the fight ‘from the studios to the streets … to raise awareness on the menace’ ( Modern Ghana 2017).…”

“…Despite the MMIP's assignment to re-evaluate ASM regulations, attention has been paid rather to the enforcement of the existing or introduction of harsher measures against miners 8 . Unsurprisingly, the ban and OV were disappointing, as they failed to prevent operators from returning to mining (Ayelazuno & Mawuko-Yevugah 2019; Bansah 2019; Crawford & Botchwey 2020; Eduful et al 2020; Wireko-Gyebi et al 2020). Once again, the government responded with yet another military action – ‘Operation Halt II’ in May 2021, replacing the dissolved and discredited OV ( Extra News Ghana 2021).…”