Abstract
Mineral-endowed Districts are among the most underdeveloped communities in Ghana, partly because Districts are structurally constrained from recouping socio-economic cost directly from mines. In 2016, Parliament passed the Minerals Development Fund Act, a tool to address the socio-economic development challenges in mining affected communities. The study examines the capacity of local government structures in utilizing the Minerals Development Fund and other mineral royalties to promote inclusive and sustainable economic development. Through interviews with 300 respondents aged between 15 and 65 and drawn from communities with mining operations in Prestea-Huni Valley and Wassa East Districts, the study finds that there are existential capacity gaps in development planning and community participation in the management of mineral resources in communities within the periphery of extractive activities. Keywords: Mining, Planning, Participatory, Communities, Development, Mineral Rents DOI: 10.7176/JESD/13-2-01 Publication date: January 31 st 2022
Highlights
According to Akabzaa and Darimani in (Azumah et al 2020), Ghana’s mining industry was very vibrant during the pre-independence period, Ghana accounted for 35% of total gold output globally between 1493 and 1600
● What pressing development challenges confront communities affected by gold mining? ● How do local authorities integrate extractive activities into their medium to long-term development plans? ● What constraints hamper collaborations among key actors in the management of mineral resources? To provide a context for explaining these pertinent issues outlined above, and to answer the central question(s) underpinning the study we examined some of the theoretical models concerning mineral resources and sustainable economic development nexus
Www.iiste.org ascertain whether communities have a voice with respect to issues of social and economic developments that occur in their communities
Summary
According to Akabzaa and Darimani in (Azumah et al 2020), Ghana’s mining industry was very vibrant during the pre-independence period, Ghana accounted for 35% of total gold output globally between 1493 and 1600. This growth output witnessed a consistent decline over subsequent years in the post-independence period, which was marked by state ownership of mineral resources. The main objective of the mining sector programme was to halt the decline in and stabilize mineral production, through short time non-monetary, monetary and economic measures This was to be done through rehabilitation of existing mines by injecting financial and technical assistance from multinational institutions, divestiture and liberation of the sector to promote an enabling environment for private sector investment (Songsore, 2003)
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