Children routinely engage in illegal small-scale mining across Ghana, undertaking dangerous tasks like digging pits and processing gold with mercury. This persistent issue exists despite clear Ghanaian laws prohibiting individuals under 18 from hazardous mining work.
This ongoing child involvement highlights significant shortcomings in policy implementation, law enforcement, and social protection systems. Mining is legally recognised as hazardous work, yet children in communities assisted by Compassion International Ghana (CIGH) in regions like Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Central, and Bono routinely perform life-threatening tasks. Children are observed abandoning school for illegal mining, even in areas with law enforcement present.
This situation fits into Ghana's broader struggle with 'galamsey', which significantly contributes to national revenue but causes widespread environmental destruction. The informal nature of this sector enables the exploitation of vulnerable people, especially children, perpetuating a human development crisis. Previous efforts to curb illegal mining have often focused reactively, without addressing the root causes of child exploitation.
According to the BFTOnline report, current child labour and mining laws provide sufficient legal authority for intervention. However, implementation suffers from limited resources, fragmented institutional mandates, and inconsistent political will. The report suggests establishing well-resourced, district-level task forces to improve detection and response.
Going forward, strengthening enforcement and accountability is crucial. Regular inspections of high-risk mining zones are needed. Consistent prosecution of adults who employ children in mining will send a strong deterrent message. Expanding access to quality education in mining communities, through school feeding programmes and scholarship schemes, also forms a critical part of any effective solution. Decision-makers must also reform mining sector governance by formalising artisanal and small-scale mining through licensing and training. This will ensure better regulation and monitoring to protect children.
Addressing deep poverty is also essential, as CIGH's experience shows child involvement in illegal mining is often a survival strategy. Community-based child protection systems, involving traditional authorities and civil society, can help identify at-risk children and challenge social norms. Public education campaigns can further highlight the long-term costs of child mining. These comprehensive measures are needed for a sustainable policy response.