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<p>Illegal small-scale gold mining (ISSGM) in Ghana endures despite decades of policy reforms, reflecting deeper structural contradictions in governance rather than mere enforcement failure. This study examines the institutional ambiguities and political incentives that sustain ISSGM through an integrated theoretical framework combining resource curse theory and neo-institutionalism. Employing a qualitative process-tracing methodology, it analyzes legislative documents, government reports, and scholarly literature to uncover how overlapping authorities, legal loopholes, and rent-seeking networks perpetuate illegality. The findings reveal that ambiguous laws, conflicting mandates between state and traditional institutions, and entrenched corruption transform illegality into a normalized component of Ghana’s resource economy. Political elites, bureaucratic actors, and traditional leaders collectively benefit from institutional disorder, rendering technical reforms ineffective. The study concludes that addressing ISSGM requires more than regulatory tightening: it demands structural realignment that harmonizes formal and customary governance, enhances transparency, and redefines accountability across political and institutional hierarchies. The research offers conceptual and policy insights into transforming Ghana’s gold governance from a system of ambiguity into one of coherence, equity, and sustainability.</p>

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Policy ambiguity in Ghana’s illegal gold mining sector

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月30日

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  • Emmanuel Asenso Edusei,
  • Frank Yeboah Adusei

摘要

Illegal small-scale gold mining (ISSGM) in Ghana endures despite decades of policy reforms, reflecting deeper structural contradictions in governance rather than mere enforcement failure. This study examines the institutional ambiguities and political incentives that sustain ISSGM through an integrated theoretical framework combining resource curse theory and neo-institutionalism. Employing a qualitative process-tracing methodology, it analyzes legislative documents, government reports, and scholarly literature to uncover how overlapping authorities, legal loopholes, and rent-seeking networks perpetuate illegality. The findings reveal that ambiguous laws, conflicting mandates between state and traditional institutions, and entrenched corruption transform illegality into a normalized component of Ghana’s resource economy. Political elites, bureaucratic actors, and traditional leaders collectively benefit from institutional disorder, rendering technical reforms ineffective. The study concludes that addressing ISSGM requires more than regulatory tightening: it demands structural realignment that harmonizes formal and customary governance, enhances transparency, and redefines accountability across political and institutional hierarchies. The research offers conceptual and policy insights into transforming Ghana’s gold governance from a system of ambiguity into one of coherence, equity, and sustainability.