A growing movement in Ghana is calling for a significant shift in how tax revenues from small-scale mining are used.
The Reinvest Royalties campaign is advocating for the government to reinvest a portion of royalties from mining operations into the very communities affected by mining.
This, they argue, could boost local economies, encourage legal mining practices, and reduce the prevalence of illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey.”
In a statement released on Tuesday (17 September), the campaign highlighted the potential benefits of redirecting mining royalties back to the communities where mining takes place.
They believe this would create incentives for local miners to operate legally while also fostering community wealth and reducing reliance on illicit mining operations.
“The Reinvest Royalties campaign is working alongside community leaders in Bole and Amansie West,” the statement read, noting the role of community radio and social media in amplifying their message.
The campaign is backed by the UK-Ghana Gold Programme (UKGGP) and civil society organisations such as the Natural Resource Governance Institute, KASA, CEDA, the Institute for Energy Security, Arocha Ghana, and SYND, all of whom are united under the Shared Prosperity Initiative.
Steve Manteaw, technical advisor for the UKGGP, emphasised the campaign’s central message: If we want to end galamsey, we must empower our mining communities.
“By giving communities a stake in the royalties generated from mining,” Manteaw said. “They will have a vested interest in welcoming regulated mining operations while rejecting illegal ones.”
The campaign further emphasised that the reinvestment of royalties could be channelled into environmental protection.
“These funds could cover the costs of geological surveys, ensuring more precise and less destructive mining practices,” the statement continued. “They could also support the development of less harmful extraction methods and fund the reclamation of sites once mines have closed.”
Reinvest Royalties highlighted the economic toll of illegal mining and gold smuggling, which they estimate costs Ghana billions of dollars annually. They stressed, however, that forced regulation is not the solution.
Instead, the government must create a framework in which mining communities see clear benefits from regulated mining activities and therefore seek regulation willingly.
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