Mineral Resource Governance and Human Development in Ghana

This book investigates how mineral resources can be governed to promote people-centred development in Ghana, focusing on the three main human development variables: living standards, education and health.

Ghana is endowed with abundant mineral resources. The mineral sector accounts for about 14% of total tax revenue, driven mostly by an increase in export earnings from the gold sector and the commencement of crude oil exports. However, the country has not yet been able to use its natural resources to promote human development, and the majority of the population still lives on less than $2 a day. This book argues for a paradigm shift in the discussion of mineral resources, one that looks to govern natural resources in such a way as to improve standards of living, health, education, income levels, empowerment, quality of work and threats from violence. The human-centred mineral resource governance approach developed by this book will not only be useful to Ghana, but can also be applied to other mineral-rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

This book will be important to upper-level students and researchers of natural resource management, international development and African studies, as well as to NGOs, practitioners and policymakers who recognise the importance of linking natural resources income to human development.

Autorentext

Felix Danso is a Lecturer at the School of Development Management, Ghana Christian University College, and Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Public Services and Governance, and Centre for Regional Integration in Africa, both at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Webster University, Ghana Campus, a Council member of the Development Studies Association (DSA) UK, and previously consulted for USAID, West Africa.

Inhalt

List of illustrations

List of abbreviations and acronyms

• Overview of Ghana's mining sector

• Theories and concepts of natural resource governance

• Approach / Methodology

• Analyses of mineral governance and human development in Ghana

• Evaluation of mineral resource governance and human development in Ghana

• Human-centred mineral resource governance approach

Index