Regulate natural resource extraction in Ghana – Ghanaians to Gov’t

In a recent Afrobarometer survey, majority of Ghanaians wants government to find tighter ways to tackle and regulate natural resource extraction such as mining, oil drilling, and wood harvesting in order to reduce the negative impacts on the environment in the country.

But during the survey, citizens have mixed-reactions on whether local communities receive a fair share of revenues from nearby natural resource extraction activities while fewer than half think that the benefits of natural resource extraction outweigh its costs, such as pollution.

“Only about half of Ghanaians say ordinary citizens have a voice in decisions about natural resource extraction that takes place near their communities”, the report said.

Key findings during the survey indicates that, most Ghanaians, representing 85 percent want the government to regulate natural resource extraction more tightly in order to reduce its negative impacts on the environment.

Also, fewer than half, indicating 46 percent of citizens think local communities receive a fair share of revenues from natural resource extraction whiles as many as 46 percent think they don’t receive any revenue from any source.

“And only 39% say the benefits of natural resource extraction, such as jobs and revenue, outweigh negative impacts such as pollution”, the survey noted.Meanwhile, half of Ghanaians, representing 51 percent “agree” or “strongly agree” that ordinary citizens must have a voice during decision-making about natural resource extraction near their communities, while 40 percent disagree.

Source Eric Nii Sackey