Mining Sector Support Programme (MSSP)
National Environmental Impact Assessment over the Mining and Exploration Areas and Strategic Environmental Assessment
(Project No. 8 ACP GH 027)

Mining success in Ghana has been accompanied by increasing public concern over the environmental (bio-physical and social) impacts of the industry. In particular, there are concerns that current and planned open pit mining is affecting the bio-physical environment and the local communities more than originally expected. During 2001, a Sectoral Environmental Review (SER) of the mining sector was undertaken, providing a baseline for further environmental assessments and remediation efforts.

The National EIA and SEA Project is therefore an important part of the MSSP, funded by the European Union through the European Development Fund (EDF). The overall objectives of the project are two fold:

• To review existing information and to obtain new data from present, past and potential future mining sites, in order to identify the areas needing attention for immediate and future mitigation. (EIA component)
• To obtain information from areas affected by mining in order to help evaluate existing policies, institutions, plans and programmes, followed by recommendations for the development of better policies. (SEA component)

The project covers all mining activities, including precious and other metals, diamonds, salt, quarries, sandwinning operations, burrow pits, etc. It shall identify, describe and assess the effects of the mining activities on:

• each component of the natural environment, including air, water quality and availability (surface and groundwater), soil, flora and fauna, and the landscape;
• sustainable resources for communities like fertile lands, woodlands and pastures;
• social components like health and security, economy and livelihood, cultural issues, land use and general well-being.

During the EIA part of the Project, the present situation is being assessed at some 61 mining and exploration sites. These sites include currently operating mines as well as defunct mines and exploration areas. The 61 sites include all of the major mines of Ghana and a representative selection from all the other types of operations. This EIA work has started with the desktop study of large amounts of information and will furthermore include fieldwork at the listed sites. The fieldwork will include physical sampling as well as discussions with mining company managers, employees and affected communities.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will effectively cover the entire country by investigating the cumulative effects of mining on a number of selected river basins (bio-physical effects) and administrative districts (social and health effects). It will furthermore assess the current regulations and the institutions applying them, helping to develop relevant policies.

With a budget of around €4,5 million, the project has an overall timeframe of 36 months and is being carried out by a consortium of consulting firms:

• Hifabgruppen AB ( www.hifab.se ), of Sweden, the lead company, have and provide a lot of mining industry experience through their subsidiary Swedish Geological ( www.swedishgeological.com );
• AY&A Consult Ltd ( www.ayaconsult.com ), of Ghana, have significant experience in environmental work in the country;
• Golder Associates ( www.golder.com ), of the UK, will provide mainly geotechnical input; and
• SGS Environment Ltd ( www.sgs.com ), also of Ghana, are very valuable partners by virtue of their wealth of environmental work within the mining industry here.

Project experts visit a partly rehabilitated mining pit, used as a fish farm on an experimental basis