Gold mining and corporate social responsibility in the Wassa West district, Ghana

Abstract

Despite a boom in gold mining in Ghana's Wassa West district (WWD), unemployment and poverty have deepened, partly due to loss of farmland to surface mining but more so because of the limited opportunities for wage employment in the district's ‘revived’ gold-mining industry. However, the large-scale mining companies are implementing some alternative livelihood programmes (ALPs) as part of their corporate social-responsibility (CSR) agenda. While the ALPs have provided some employment and income-earning opportunities and skills training, the prospects for their sustainability depend on how the challenges confronting the various programmes are addressed. This will require a well-coordinated approach involving all the key stakeholders.

Exploitation aurifère et responsabilité sociale des entreprises dans le district de Wassa West, Ghana

Malgré l'essor de l'exploitation aurifère dans le district de Wassa West (WWD), le chômage et la pauvreté se sont intensifiés en partie à cause de la perte de terres agricoles remplacées par l'exploitation minière de surface, mais encore plus à cause des occasions limitées de travail salarié dans l'industrie aurifère « réactivée » du district. Cependant, les sociétés minières d'envergure mettent en œuvre des programmes de subsistance alternatifs (ALP – Alternative Livelihood Programmes) dans le cadre de leur ordre du jour de responsabilité sociale en tant qu'entreprises. Bien que les ALP aient fourni des emplois, des moyens de gagner des revenus et des formations dans certaines compétences, les perspectives concernant leur durabilité dépendent de la manière sont seront abordés les défis auxquels se confrontent les divers programmes. Cela exigera une approche bien coordonnée faisant intervenir toutes les parties prenantes clés.

Mineração de ouro e responsabilidade social corporativa no Distrito de Wassa West, Gana

Apesar de ter havido um rápido crescimento na mineração de ouro no distrito de Wassa West (WWD) de Gana, o desemprego e a pobreza têm aumentado, em parte devido a ocupação de terra cultivável pela mineração mas principalmente devido às oportunidades limitadas de emprego assalariado na ‘renascida’ indústria de mineração de ouro do distrito. Contudo, as grandes empresas de mineração estão implementando alguns programas alternativos de meios de subsistência (ALPs) como parte de sua agenda de responsabilidade social corporativa (CSR). Embora os ALPs têm proporcionado algumas oportunidades de emprego e geração de renda e treinamento de habilidades, os prospectos para sua sustentabilidade dependem de como são abordados os desafios que os vários programas estão confrontando. Isto exigirá uma abordagem bem-coordenada envolvendo todos os stakeholders principais.

La minería del oro y la responsabilidad social corporativa en el Distrito Occidental de Wassa en Ghana

A pesar del auge de la minería de oro en el Distrito Occidental de Wassa, Ghana, el desempleo y la pobreza han aumentado debido en parte a la pérdida de tierras agrícolas ante el avance de las minas a cielo abierto. Una razón aún más importante ha sido la falta de oportunidades para emplear la mano de obra en la ‘reactivada’ industria de la minería de oro. Sin embargo, las grandes empresas mineras han impulsado programas de sustento alternativos (PSA) como parte de sus compromisos de responsabilidad social corporativa. Los PSA han generado empleos y capacitación pero su continuidad dependerá de cómo se afronten los retos de los diversos programas. Esto requerirá una buena coordinación entre todos los actores clave.

Keywords:

• Globalisation
• Labour and livelihoods
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Acknowledgements

This article is based on a study carried out by the author in the Wassa West district, a gold-mining ‘frontier’, for a research project entitled Rural–Urban Dynamics in a Globalising World: Changing Livelihoods and Settlement Patterns in Frontier Regions of Africa and Asia, funded by Danish International Development Agency (Danida) 2005–2008.

Notes

‘Stool’ represents the traditional authority structure which operates in parallel with the formal governmental structures. Lands in Ghana belong partly to government and largely to communities made up of clans (represented by chiefs, whose symbol of authority is the ‘stool’), to families, represented by family heads, and individuals. Royalties are paid by investors, including mining companies, to the ‘stool’ of the communities where the activities of the investors take place.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul W. K. Yankson

Paul W. K. Yankson is based in the Department of Geography and Resources Development at the University of Ghana in Legon, Ghana. <[email protected]>