The Resilience of Mining Communities in Obuasi, as Anglogold Ashanti Shifts Position

Abstract

A Flurry or an avalanche of publications examining the effects of mining on host communities have painted a rather incomplete picture of  the abilities of these communities to cope with  economic and population induced shocks and its ramifications  not to mention their capacity to  withstand the aftermath of the  exhaustion of all economically valuable resources. In this paper, therefore, the concept on resource-community reliance is investigated. Obuasi the host community of the oldest mining site in Ghana is the case study. The study conducted a broad meta-analysis of all the types of capitals available in Obuasi that are essential to achieving resilience at the community level.  The findings revealed Obuasi’s ability to cope with the on-going stress and recover thereof appears daunting as the resources capable of placing the community in a better condition are not locally owned. Additionally, institutional inefficiencies and convergent thinking have exacerbated the problem. The paper recommends among other things the need for AGA to depart from the current handout dependent nature of its corporate social responsibility to one that promotes wealth creation. Obuasi Municipal Assembly on the other hand would have to be innovative and re-direct its energies towards preparing the Municipality to take advantage of the huge physical capital currently at its disposal.

Keywords: Obuasi, resilience, mining communities, development