Starting this Saturday, I will spend 30 days in the beautiful country of Ghana, with the Emerging Leaders’ Extraction and Environment Program (E-LEEP), funded by the State Department and administered by Duquesne University. Along with 19 professionals in the environmental field from across the US, I will study the effects of natural resource extraction on the social, economic, political, and environmental systems in Ghana. Natural resources to be studied include timber, fisheries, hardrock mining, and fossil fuel extraction.

Ghana is one of the most democratically stable countries in Africa. Since 1992, the country has enjoyed relative stability and economic growth, often exceeding 20% per year. However, nearly 80% of its population still lives on less than $2 per day. With the discovery of the Jubilee oil field off Ghana’s coast, and estimates of nearly 2 billion barrels of oil and natural gas present, the country stands to gain significantly from their newly discovered natural resources. Historically, African countries with newly discovered petroleum reserves quickly begin to suffer from corruption, social conflict, and environmental degradation. Is Ghana destined to go down the same path? Since the discovery of oil reserves, the government has tried to improve its laws and regulations, attempting to prevent the same problems that have plagued other oil producing African nations, such as Nigeria and Angola.

During our short stay in Ghana, our group will take a look at the history extractive industries in Ghana, including political involvement, social aspects, environmental impacts, and the future of the industry. At the same time, we will evaluate current and future management plans the government of Ghana has for the industry, as well as how it plans to protect its natural resources, and help fairly and sustainably distribute the wealth from these resources. The government hopes to ensure that all Ghanaians benefit from their natural resources. At the end of the program, our group will present the results of our evaluation of the management plans, and the best way to move forward to appropriate government officials, where several local and foreign media are expected to be in attendance.

E-LEEP is amazing opportunity for environmental professionals, and I am extremely fortunate to have been chosen to participate. In addition to the professional and academic work we will be performing, participants will get a chance to visit natural and historical areas of Ghana, and spend a week visiting the coastal zone and the most important mining areas of the country. We will also spend a weekend staying with a local family, allowing us to experience Ghana as the locals do. The next 30 days are going to be epic.