THE chiefs and people in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region where Newmont Ghana, a gold mining company, is currently prospecting for the mineral, last Friday asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to grant the company operational license to enable it to start full operation.
This, they said, had become necessary, since Newmont had satisfied all the requirements to begin work, which, according to them, would be beneficial to the affected communities.
Some of the chiefs and opinion leaders who made the call were Osabarima Owusu Gyamedu III a representative of the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku, the traditional overlord; Nana Kwame Fosu who represented the Afosuhene, Opanin Kwadwo Kyei, from Agyenoa, Mr Joseph Tetteh, a spokesman for all the hamlets surrounding Adausena, and Mr Appiah Darkwa from Yaw Tannor.
Two persons, Mr Kwabena Frimpong from Yayaaso and Madam Ama Dapaah, a 70-year-old cocoa farmer from Hweakwae, who claimed Newmont had not yet compensated her for her cocoa farm which it destroyed, however, dissented.
They made the call at a public hearing on the activities of the company at Yaayaaso, one of the main communities in the company’s operational areas.
The public hearing, the third in a series, brought together chiefs, opinion leaders and people from about 13 communities within the company’s operational areas, some of which are Ntronang, Akyenoa, Afosu, New Abirem, Old Abirem, Adausena, Yaw Tanor and Hweakwae.
Also present were representatives from the EPA, Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, coalition of non-governmental organisations on mining, as well as the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Madam Esther Obeng Dapaah.
Making the call on behalf of the people, Osabarima Gyamedu III, said since Newmont had satisfied laid-down conditions and its activities would be beneficial to the people, it should be given licence to go into full operation.
He, however, called on the sub-chiefs in the area to unite to enable the people, as well as themselves, to get the full benefits such as royalties otherwise Newmont would take advantage of any disagreement among them to withhold financial packages that would be due them.
Osabarima Gyamedu, who appealed to the people to co-operate with Newmont to enable the company to assist the communities to improve the living condition of the people, was of the view that Newmont would live up to expectation.
Addressing the gathering, Madam Esther Dapaah asked Newmont to honour all its environmental and other related obligations under the legal framework to ensure that the affected communities and the nation did not become worse off after the company had completed its operations.
She also asked the regulatory agencies such as the Minerals Commission, the EPA, the district assembly and chiefs in the area to ensure that Newmont followed the right procedures in its operations.
The minister, who expressed the hope that Newmont would put sustainable corporate social responsibility projects in place to tackle any misgivings of the people in the area, was of the view that when the processes permitting mine development were completed and all issues addressed, it would ensure “a win-win situation for all stakeholders”.
The Regional Vice-President of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited in charge of Environment and Social Responsibility, Mr Nick Cotts, said the company had designed its project in the area taking into consideration, technical, environmental and social aspects, as well as engineered solutions and developed plans that would maximise the benefits and mitigate the negative impacts in accordance with Ghanaian laws and internationally accepted standards.
Mr Appiah Kusi Abodum, the Environmental and Social Responsibility Co-ordinator of the Akyem Project, took the gathering through the operational activities of the company, as well as a number of social amenities provided for the people in the area, who he said would be assisted in diverse ways to make a living.
No comments:
Post a Comment