According to Ghana News Agency:ccording to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Frank Wilson Bodza, the Deputy Director of Conflict Management and Resolution at the National Peace Council (NPC), highlighted the social issues bred by illegal mining, including drug and substance abuse, commercial sex work, human rights abuse, and the tendency for illegal miners to own and use firearms, leading to crime and security issues in the country.
Mr. Bodza stated that targeted employment policies and support systems would help reduce the friction between mining companies and their host communities, addressing the menace of illegal mining. He stressed the importance of government measures to mitigate the risks illegal mining poses to the nation's environmental sustainability.
He emphasized the necessity for strict environmental, social, and economic impact assessments of mining companies to ensure they provide alternative livelihoods for host communities, especially for the youth engaged in illegal mining. Mr. Bodza suggested that mining companies should reinvest some of their profits into community development, creating jobs for community members and the youth, even if employment in the mining sector is not feasible.
He also noted that any governmental intervention would require political will to effectively curb illegal mining.
