SOLAR MINING WORKERS PETITION PRESIDENT (PAGE 22, JULY 16, 2010)

WORKERS of Solar Mining Company, a small-scale mining concern, have made appeal led to President John Evans Atta Mills to ensure that the company gets its operational license and permit.
The company, which operates in the Akyem Saaman and Akyem Juaso areas in the Fanteakwa District in the Eastern Region, has a workforce of 500, most of whom come from the area.
In a petition dated June 26, 2010, and signed by the chairman of the union, Mr Philip Dugba, the workers stated that the granting of the license and permit would regularise the company’s operation to enable them to earn a decent living.
According to the workers, although the company was operating under mining regulations and guidelines and making efforts to acquire the license and permit, the negative activities of officials entrusted in that respect had made it impossible for the company to acquire the necessary papers to regularise its operation.
They said if the company was not granted the license, it would lead to its collapse and the retrenchment of its workers resulting in all sorts of anti-social vices such as stealing, which was prevalent in the area before the company started its operations.
Highlighting the benefits of the activities of the company in the area which included the construction of social amenities such as schools and health facilities, payment of health insurance premium for the needy, the workers stated that it would be suicidal for the company to fold up since all such facilities would be no more.
With regard to recent negative media publications about the company to the effect that it was paying unfair compensation to farmers whose lands were affected, the workers said the farmers readily accepted a GH¢1,000 per acre compensation which they considered adequate.
Farmers who refused to give out their land, the workers further stated, were not forced to accept the GH¢1,000 per acre compensation.
The workers refuted an allegation to the effect that the company had encroached on land belonging to Abuakwa State College and a cemetery.
The workers also explained that the company was not engaged in surface mining as contained in the publications and described the reports as orchestrated ploys by certain people, both in and outside the area, seeking their personal interest to stifle the company.
The workers who re-affirmed their unflinching support for the Managing Director of the company, Mr S.O. Lamptey, and the entire management, said the activities of the company, which had operated in the area since 2008, had imparted positively on the lives of the people in its operational area and must therefore be supported.