International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VII, July 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Causes and Effects of Illegal Gold Mining (Galamsey) Activities on School Dropout and Residents at the Tutuka Central Circuit in Obuasi Municipality in Ashanti Region, Ghana

Dr. Francess Dufie Azumah¹, Enock Baah², John Onzaberigu Nachinaab^3
1Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
²Master in Sociology, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
³PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Abstract: – Illegal gold mining (Galamsey) activities contribute tremendously to the local economy of the communities within which the practice is conducted. Despite such development, its activities come with several environmental, economic, developmental and societal challenges that governments and environmentalist have fought several decades to overcome. The study sought to examine the effect of galamsey operation on school dropout in the Tutuka Central Circuit in the Obuasi Municipality. The case study design was used. A sample size of 102 participants was selected for quantitative analysis together with purposive sampling of 20 key informants for qualitative analysis. Youth engagement in galamsey and subsequent dropout from school had some relationship with guardians/relatives being engaged in galamsey as confirmed by 68% of participants who had one or both of their guardians involved in the galamsey business. The majority; 50% of dropouts worked at galamsey sites. Eight in every ten school dropouts (86.3%) enrolled in the study aged between 14 to 22 years admitted to having a sexual partner. This study calls for a comprehensive strategy adoption, strong institutional collaboration with stringent commitment from both parents and government in ensuring job security at galamsey operating communities guided by strict law enforcement for children in school who seek to enroll in galamsey activities.

Key Words: Child Education, Illegal Gold Mining, Parenting, Economic impact of illegal mining.

I. INTRODUCTION

One of the major sources of foreign exchange earnings for Ghana as a country is gold mining (Adu-Gyamfi, 2014). It involves the extraction of minerals in addition to precious metals from under the earth (Akabzaa & Darimani, 2001). Ghana is the second African largest producer coming only after South Africa. About 40% of the national total earnings are thus generated through mining activities (Berger, 2008; Airo, 2009).