Challenges and opportunities of environmental policy implementation: Empirical evidence from Ghana's gold mining sector

Abstract

While a number of studies that have examined the nature and impact of gold mining in Ghana have often identified environmental degradation as a major consequence of resource extraction, limited efforts have so far been directed at exploring the challenges and opportunities facing the implementation of environmental policies within Ghana's gold mining sector. In addition, how the views of critical stakeholders can be harnessed to ensure the effective implementation of the current environmental policies in the gold mining sector has also received limited attention. Consequently, drawing on qualitative data that are complemented with the analysis of government policy documents, this study reveals that, lack of community participation, insufficient coordination among government institutions, inadequate personnel and logistics, and lack of political will are factors contributing to the ineffective implementation of environmental policies in Ghana's gold mining sector. The paper concludes by considering the theoretical and policy implication of its findings for effective environmental policy implementation in Ghana.