Kwame Gyan, Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana School of Law, Ghana
Justin Awanzirigo Akampule, B.L Candidate, Ghana School of Law, Ghana
ABSTRACT
Minerals, in whatever form, remain arguably nature’s most valuable gift to mankind. The best part is that nearly all peoples, be they politically, socially, economically or even religiously organized, are blessed with one type of mineral or another. Ghana is not left out. Minerals provide the wheels on which economies around the world run. The country has a huge share in nature’s distribution of these mineral resources. Yet, the verisimilitude of the country’s true economic situation betrays this show of nature’s magnanimity towards her. The reasons for this are manifold. The paper explores the different dimensions of this situation and argues fervidly that the mineral resources of Ghana are terribly mismanaged. The paper draws from my findings in an earlier publication and argues that the phenomenon of mismanagement of mineral resources over the years is a product of Ghana’s legal regime that allows for the State to superintend over mineral resources. It is, therefore, my argument that a timely review of this legal regime will help quicken the country’s transformative agenda by allowing individuals, institutions, stools or groups to own and manage mineral resources found in their lands.
