Five mining communities in the Asutifi North District, where multi-national mining company, Newmont Gold Ghana Limited operates have hinted at plans to launch a massive demonstration against the company for flouting an employment agreement with the locals in the area.
The five communities: Kenyase 1 And 2, Ntotroso, Gyedu, Wamaheneso, are represented by the United Youth of Affected Mining Communities (UYMAC), which seek to front and address issues bothering them on various mining activities.
According to the acting Chairman for UYMAC, Kennedy Adu Agyei, Newmont, despite their agreed terms, had neglected unemployed youths in their communities in an upcoming underground mining operation where there are employment opportunities.
Mr. Agyei said on 13TH December, last year, they met with Newmont and were assured that locals would be recruited and well trained them for the upcoming underground mining, but the company had again ignored unemployed youths from the five communities and had rather employed foreigners from Kyerano , Oboasi and other areas for the job.
“They have planned going underground mining. Currently, they are in negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for permit, but we believe Newmont ought to have met representatives of the various communities to address our concerns. We are going to take a very hot demonstration against Newmont, African Underground Mining services (AUMS) DRA and its sub-contractors who are intimidating the indigenous people of the land, he cautioned.
Morse so, a premier community based human rights and environmental mining advocate, Waccam has released a damning report on mining activities in the Asutifi North District, indicting Newmont’s operations; for adversely impacting lives in the area.
According to Waccam, “since the start of mining in the Asutifi North District by the multi-national company, the women have been denied access to potable water, farmlands and other means of economic livelihood”.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Newmont’s Director of Communications, Mrs. Ayitevie Adikie, for the company’s official reaction to the story, proved futile as calls to her telephone were not answered as at the time of filing this story.
Stay tuned.
Source: New Crusading Guide
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This is no news oooo and i blame the community leaders cos when this cant be done at Newmont Golden Ridge (Akyem site) cos the leaders are on strict terms of employing locals or no workdone but this is not same at the Ahafo site, this Aums people took over 1000 letters with plenty locals in it and yet they went ahead to recruit their own relatives from nowhere and the HR of Newmont (Christian) took no action on this cos i know locals come first in terms of recruiting. It seems they are taking Ahafo for granted as compared to Akyem and this shows when they start with the ahafo north project (yamfo and terchiire) we will face same recruitment problem cos we wont benefit from the mill expansion. We live them in the hands of Akyem communities but there should be a a big demo to put sense into their minds. akyem people even stops buses from going to the site and they should know we can also do same by stoping all the buses at atronie without a single moving.