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The Impact of Artisanal Small-Scale Mining on Sustainable Livelihoods: A Case Study of Mining Communities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of Ghana

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  • Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yaaba
  • Forson, Joseph Ato

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of artisanal small-scale mining on sustainable livelihoods in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of Ghana. The study seeks to answer the following questions: (1) what is the impact of artisanal small-scale mining on livelihoods in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality? (2) What measures could be put in place to ensure the sustainability of livelihoods in the municipality? Case study approach to inquiry was used in the study. The authors used interview guides (structured and unstructured) to collect primary data from a sample of 400 household heads, nineteen institutions, six Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) firms, six mineral processing companies, and two gold buying agents, and traditional authorities from the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality. The findings of the study indicate among other things that; land has been rendered unproductive due to the inability of the dominant ASM firms to reclaim lands after mining. The workers’ exposure to cyanide and mercury makes them vulnerable to all manner of health risks which is a threat to the sustenance of livelihoods. Owing to the unsustainable nature of mining activities, the future indicates not only increases in unemployment, but also environmental degradation and health concerns.

Suggested Citation

  • Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yaaba & Forson, Joseph Ato, 2015. "The Impact of Artisanal Small-Scale Mining on Sustainable Livelihoods: A Case Study of Mining Communities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of Ghana," MPRA Paper 102491, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Sep 2016.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:102491
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Joseph Ato Forson & Jakkaphong Janrattanagul, 2014. "Selected Macroeconomic Variables and Stock Market Movements: Empirical evidence from Thailand," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 8(2), June.
    7. Joseph Forson, 2015. "Corruption, EU Aid Inflows and Economic Growth in Ghana: Cointegration and Causality Analysis," Managing Intellectual Capital and Innovation for Sustainable and Inclusive Society: Managing Intellectual Capital and Innovation; Proceedings of the MakeLearn and TIIM Joint International Conference 2,, ToKnowPress.
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    10. Joseph Ato Forson & Ponlapat Buracom & Guojin Chen & Theresa Yaaba Baah-Ennumh, 2017. "Genuine Wealth Per Capita as a Measure of Sustainability and the Negative Impact of Corruption on Sustainable Growth in Sub-Sahara Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 85(2), pages 178-195, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Forson, Joseph Ato & Braimah, Awaisu Imurana & Awoonor, Akorkor Kehinde, 2016. "African Perceptions of Donor Agencies: Emerging developments in Sino-African relations," MPRA Paper 102171, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 18 Jan 2019.
    2. Acquah, Isaiah & Forson, Joseph Ato & Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yabaa, 2019. "Effect of changing urban farming landscape on financing livelihoods and food security of urban farmers’ households in Ghana," MPRA Paper 102170, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Mar 2019.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sustainable Livelihood (SL); Sustainable Development (SD); Management; Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASM); Ghana.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • J0 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General
    • Q0 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General
    • Q00 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - General

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