Residents’ perceptions on the manifestation of the natural resource curse in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

Natural resources have often been found to be a curse to some nations that possess them instead of being a blessing. In several developing economies, civil wars, environmental and health hazards have been associated with the extraction of such natural resources. This paper investigated residents' perceptions on the effects resultingfrom natural resource extraction in some mining communities in Ghana. Underpinned by the interpretivist philosophy, this case study employed in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation to collect data from the residents in Odumase and Teberebie communities in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, in the Western Region of Ghana. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 77 respondents for the study. Data collected was transcribed, coded into themes and categories, and manually analysed. The study found that the'mining communities were confronted with a number of environmental challenges, including pollution (air, water, soil, and noise), deforestation, abandoned mine pits and dumping of rock waste on fertile agricultural lands. Residents have become marginalized as a result of the difficulty to access potable drinking water, fertile agricultural lands and inability to come out of poverty since their livelihoods have become unsustainable. It is recommended that collaborative efforts should be adopted by various stakeholders to sustainably manage the exploitation of mineral resources. Central and local governments' policies and regulations regarding natural resource use, and n particular mining need to be enforced with local residents in mind.