[The Conversation Africa] Ghana is among the top two gold producers in Africa. What has caught little attention, however, is the fact that more than 35% of total gold output in Ghana comes from artisanal and small-scale miners. Artisanal and small-scale mining is estimated to support the livelihoods of some 4.5 million Ghanaians, about 12% of the population. They account for more than 60% of the country's mining sector labour force.