Cape coast: The Ghana Sociological and Anthropological Association (GSAA) has condemned the destructive impact of illegal mining, describing it as 'intolerable'. The Association is urging the government to take firm, apolitical measures to implement environmental laws without bias to put an end to this issue.
According to Ghana News Agency, the GSAA emphasized that stopping illegal mining is crucial for safeguarding water resources, farmlands, community health, and preserving forests and biodiversity. It is also essential for maintaining the long-term economic stability of the areas affected by mining activities. A communiqu©, signed by Professor William Boateng, Convenor of GSAA, was issued following the conclusion of its 10th Annual Conference held at the University of Cape Coast. The communiqu© stressed the need for immediate action to establish appropriate standards for responsible mining.
The Association highlighted the necessity of enforcing existing environmental regulations effectively and adopting a clear, non-partisan policy direction to prevent further environmental degradation. The GSAA also encouraged communities affected by mining to negotiate assertively with mining companies to ensure fair and sufficient compensation. Such compensation, they argued, would aid in recovering lost livelihoods, funding local rehabilitation and development projects, and establishing legally documented arrangements to minimize exploitation and future disputes.
During the two-day conference themed 'Our Future at Serious Risk: Insights on Social Exclusion, Resource Extraction and Security in Contemporary Africa,' academics and researchers from various major tertiary institutions gathered to discuss a range of social and policy issues. These included resource extraction and social exclusion, the precarious future of Ghana's public service, illegal mining, and its consequences.
Further discussions addressed citizen empowerment in tackling mining-related challenges, the politicization of appointments and recruitment, employment challenges, digitalization without institutional redesign, and environmental degradation due to mining activities. On national governance, the GSAA advocated for the completion of Ghana's decentralization process, citing the current system's delay in fund disbursement from the center, which hampers local planning and service delivery.
The Association recommended that national and district development plans incorporate a dedicated conflict analysis component addressing environmental, social, economic, and political tensions. To ensure transparency and inclusiveness in Ghana's public service, the GSAA called for public advertisement of employment opportunities and selection through open and competitive processes, rather than informal referral channels.
The Association also urged an end to the politicization of appointments, warning that partisan selection practices do not encourage inclusiveness or national cohesion. Across Africa, the GSAA called on governments to ensure development policies go beyond national growth targets to promote equitable opportunities across regions and social groups. They advocated for the inclusion of measures that promote fairness and inclusion in national development strategies.
The GSAA concluded that implementing these recommendations would enhance governance, reduce tensions, and improve development outcomes in Ghana and across the African continent.