The politics of artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASM) in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area of Ghana

ABSTRACT This paper explores the power relations and institutional arrangements that shape Ghana's artisanal small-scale gold mining industry. Using the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in the Eastern region as a case, the paper relies on in-depth interviews of key informants including officials of relevant local government institutions, members of the traditional authority and selected small-scale miners, to gather evidence of socio-political relationships and power dynamics. The study also adopted focus group discussions; transect walks and field observations to explore the perceived breaches by small-scale mine operators and how these are influenced by power relationships at national and local levels. The study finds complex power relationships that make artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) unsustainable. Innovative and participatory interventions have been proposed to ensure the effective enforcement of existing mining and environmental protection policies and laws.