Data Analysis
Description
A qualitative approach was used. This gave rich detailed and in-depth knowledge of social phenomena especially in networks and relations that cannot easily be measured (Creswell and Poth, 2018). This approach used a case study design with focus on Denkyembuor District, a known hot spot of illegal small-scale gold mining activities. The District is selected because it is the epicenter of galamsey operations with different actors involved and with documented challenges of enforcement, political interference, and community engagement (Oppong-Anning, 2023). The case study design allowed for the in-depth exploration of operational, political and socio-cultural phenomena; offering insight into the vertical patronage hierarchies and horizontal communities that sustain galamsey. Single-district coverage draw on the advantages of depth and context sensitivity; it presents a model that will inform understanding of similar contexts within and outside Ghana.
Files
Steps to reproduce
Primary and secondary sources was collected for this study. Primary data interviews made up of KII and FGD made up of district assembly officials, regulatory officers, community leaders, miners, politicians, and experts on mining governance. Discussions during the KII was centered around network arrangements, political and financial patronage and consequences, and the operational arrangements surrounding galamsey in Denkyembour. Observational notes was also taken when visits were made to mining camps, rivers, and mills to record effects on the environment, people's dealings, and unplanned ways of working. The secondary data was gotten from government reports from the Minerals Commission, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Environmental Protection Agency, which gives a glimpse into legal rules, law enforcement, and data on district level mining. Also, original media reports, NGO reports, and scholarly articles based on reviews provided detailed accounts of the kingpin system, political intervention, and rich contextual insights into illegal mining, political loyalty, and internal social networks will be used. Triangulation will be used between these sources to ensure credibility, validity, and thick description in understanding the kingpin system.
Institutions
- University of Professional Studies