The Role of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Fueling Violent Conflicts in “Galamsey” Communities in Ghana

Dominic Offei

Violent conflict remains a recurring feature of mining communities in Ghana. Although these violent conflicts have debilitating consequences for human security, the contribution of small arms and light weapons (SALW) to fueling these conflicts and facilitating illegal mining, popularly known as ‘Galamsey,” remains inadequately studied. This study employs a content analysis of media sources, using a qualitative approach, to elucidate the critical role of SALW in promoting violent conflicts in illegal mining areas. This study will seek to reveal the role of SALW as both symbolic and instrumental in power asymmetries among mining actors. It will also highlight the linkage between SALW proliferation and heightened violence in illegal mining communities and the gaps between policy rhetoric and on-the-ground realities, including insufficient enforcement, weak governance, and transnational crime dynamics. The study may identify media framings that stigmatize or normalize violence and illicit mining and how this shapes public perception and policy priorities.