The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, has called on government to focus on regulating illegal mining rather than criminalizing it.
This is because illegal mining popularly known as galamsey plays a critical role in the country’s employment sector, as it employs more than 5 million people directly or indirectly.
The Project Coordinator for the Ghana Social Development Outlook, Dr. Elizabeth Asante said this at the 2018 launch of the project in Accra.
Successive reports by the Institute have provided a catalogue of progress in social development in Ghana through analysis of social policies since 2012.
The 2018 version of the 287-page report, which is the 4th in the series focused on social development and interrelated issues gathered in the past 2 years, from 9 thematic areas including Health, Education, Housing and Energy.
Coordinator for the research, Dr Elizabeth Asante said it is important to regularise the mining sector in order to save jobs and create wealth.
Dr Asante highlighted several instances where successive governments failed to bridge the gap in infrastructural deficits.
The institute plans to launch a report on the state of the economy later in the year.
