[01] Isaac Eshun, Department of Social Studies Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. [02] Pamela Ekua Payne, Centre for Conflict, Human Rights and Peace Studies, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

This study examines environmental rights issues in unregulated artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) in the communities in the Mpohor District. The pragmatist philosophy underpins this study. Mixed methods approach and concurrent triangulation design were employed in this study. The population consisted of all police officers, EPA officers, traditional leaders, assembly men and officials of the Mineral Commission within the Mpohor District. Purposive and simple random procedures were employed to select 117 participants. Structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview guide were the instruments employed for data collection. SPSS was used to analyse the quantitative data, while thematic analytical procedure of Braun and Clarke was adopted to analyse the qualitative data. Findings of this study were that unregulated ASM activities polluted most of the water bodies within the district. Also, it led to the destruction of most farmlands and removed the vegetation containing important species supporting mans’ survival. Furthermore, it increased erosion and loss of viability for agricultural purposes, among other uses. More so, unregulated ASM denied residents the right to clean water, health, and arable land, displacing people from their natural residence and inflation occurring which negatively affect the wellbeing of the local population. It is recommended that government and responsible stakeholders should create protected areas designated for agricultural purpose alone in the mining communities to ensure the continuity of food crop production. Also, stringent measures should be enacted and enforced to prevent landowners in leasing their lands out for unregulated ASM.

Artisanal Mining, Environmental Rights, Galamsey, Ghana, Human Rights, Small-Scale Mining

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