Women’s involvement in ‘galamsey’ - Causes and effects

Article: Salome Donkor
It would be difficult to find words to console the grief-stricken families of the victims of the mining tragedy that hit Dompuase, near Wassa Akropong, in the Western Region.The accident, described as one of the biggest mining tragedies in the country, claimed 18 lives, including that of 14 women, who were buried alive when a landslide struck while they were working in a mining pit last Tuesday.
The deceased were said to be part of a team of about 30 people working in the pit. The accident left one survivor who is also a woman.
While sympathsing with the bereaved families and extending our condolences to them, it is equally important to continue to talk about the accident to collate views from the public on how to resolve the problem and to impress on those in authority to make mining laws effective.
A statement made on the tragedy by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi East, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, in whose constituency the accident occured, indicated that the women went into the mining pit to carry gold-bearing limestone as a means of livelihood.
According to the MP, almost all the deceased women were single parents who were catering for between two to five children.
It also said two of the women were breastfeeding mothers who always carried their babies strapped to their backs as they worked in the pit but the babies were saved on that fateful day as their mothers decided to leave them in the care of others.
The tragedy brought to the fore the need for state institutions to monitor and control the work of artisanal miners and force them to comply with safety measures.
It also showed the anxiety and determination of rural poor women to make ends meet, though through the most hazardous way.
‘Galamsey’, which is the corrupt version of the phrase, “gather and sell”, is a form of small-scale mining that takes place without official approval. It is carried out openly and often the operators get into confrontation with the law agencies and do not care where the precious mineral must be gathered and sold.
According to Mr Aidoo, the business has one of the largest following in the country in terms of work force and ancillary activities, and those engaged in the bisuness often encroach on the mining concessions.
He said there were over 5,000 people directly involved in the business in the Amenfi East Constituency, while there was an estimated 20,000 people involved in the business in Prestea, with a number of people also in Tarkwa Nsauem, Telekubukazo, Mpohor, Sefwi Juaboso, Bibiani, Obuasi, Konongo, Wa, Bole and wherever gold is.
A survivor in the Dompuase accident was reported to have stated that the pit owner contracted six men and 24 women who entered the pit for the day’s galamsey business and those engaged in the operation did so with simple implements such as shovels, pans, bamboo sticks and even their bare hands, in some cases.
The menial and risky jobs that involve stone digging, crashing, grinding, washing and carrying, mostly invloved children aged between eight and 17 years, who are recruited into galamsey operations, instead of being in school or under some apprenticeship for skills and trade.
As the Dompuase galamsey tragedy was discussed in the media, contributors to the discussions tried to assign reasons for the circumstances that compel women in their prime age and children to desperately dare to engage in such a deadly venture. Some said it was out of desperation for job, hence the need for the government to promote and co-ordinate policies that will enhance the well-being of women and children. Others also attributed the issue to parental neglect and irresponsibility on the part of fathers.
Clearly, the phenomenon of galamsey is a multi-faceted issue that requires a multi-sectoral attention and these concerns seem to have been addressed by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, when he delivered the government's Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the 2010 Fiscal Year that was presented to Parliament on Wednesday.
The minister outlined measures aimed at achieving the government’s objective of promoting women empowerment through the delivery of social programmes targeted at poverty reduction, and indicated that GH¢ 103.8 million is to be allocated to reduce poverty in the country.
He said the amount, which is the government’s projection of the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) spending for 2010, is to help improve on the financial ability of the poor in the country, most of whom are women and children.
The minister contended that the initiative and other poverty relief initiatives formed part of the government’s policies to protect especially, the vulnerable, rural and urban poor, as well as facilitate the survival, protection and development of the Ghanaian child.
He mentioned other initiatives as the Livelihood Empowerment Programme (LEAP) which he said was going to be allocated with GH¢12 million, the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority programme which will be allocated with GH¢25 million, rural electrification, GH¢30 million and the National Youth Employment Programme, which will benefit from a GH¢15 million package.
To sum up the words of Mr Aidoo, looking for gold or diamonds should not become the only preoccupation of the youth and as he suggested, the enabling conditions should be created to present new but equally lucrative opportunities for the youth and unemployed women.
After announcing these poverty alleviation initives, the next step is to ensure that these initiatives do not remain on paper but effectively implemented to benefit the people.
Furthermore, the call by Mr Aidoo for the strengthening of the country’s mining laws to encourage the use of machinery and equipment in the small-scale mining sector is also valid since it was through such a situation that one could make it impracticable for the use of child labour and eliminate all forms of women labour in unprotected mining pits.
It is obvious that the galamsey phenomenon cannot be eliminated but the work of artisanal miners could be monitored and controlled by state institutions.