(Ecofin Agency) - More than a million people work in artisanal and small-scale mines in Ghana. Most of them work illegally, and sometimes they attack industrial mines. Some of these conflicts can be deadly.

Two security agents were killed last Saturday at the Asanko gold mine in Ghana. They died during a clash with illegal miners. According to Galiano Gold, the firm that owns the mine, a civilian was also killed. The firm pointed out that the unfortunate incident did not affect operations.

Tensions between illegal miners and mining companies operating industrial mines are not new. In 2016, illegal miners invaded the Obuasi gold mine, one of the country's largest, prompting its owner, AngloGold Ashanti, to place operations under care and maintenance. Gold production subsequently resumed in 2019, but tensions persist as last year, Obuasi was once again invaded by illegal miners, leading to clashes with security forces.

In Ghana, around a million people work in the artisanal mining sector, mostly illegally. Seeking easy money, some of them, at times, invade industrial mines. This leads to conflicts with security staff, conflicts which can be deadly.

To prevent the conflicts, the Ghanaian government has introduced alternative solutions in recent years. Among others, it launched a national employment insertion program and supplied equipment to artisanal and small-scale miners. In 2023, the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) also announced a $60 million incubation program for small-scale mining operations owned entirely by Ghanaians.

Emiliano Tossou