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The Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Hon Kwaku Kwarteng, has written to the Minister for Lands & Natural Resource asking AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) to fully compensate Anyinam and Sanso, two communities in the Obuasi Municipality. In accordance with the Mining and Minerals Act of 2008, the Minister has responsibility to ensure that people who are significantly affected by a mining operation are adequately compensated. The letter explains that "the closeness (and in many case, the intermingling) of the operations of the company with the day-to-day activities of the communities offends the dignity of the inhabitants and oppresses their economic development in many ways." "Other physical impacts such as the destruction of all water bodies, the drainage and erosion problems resulting from the destruction of the natural topography and disruption of drainage courses within and around the communities, the death traps resulting from abandoned mine pits, etc, can all be verified by an impact assessment team." The Member of Parliament argues that because the communities as a whole have been adversely and profoundly impacted by the operations of AGA, there must be comprehensive remedy for the communities as a whole. While sympathising with AGA about the current challenges of the company, he cautions that, "The amendment programme put forward as a solution to the company's temporary difficulties does not provide a cover to legitimise AGA's wrong treatment of these communities; nor should the amendment be allowed to roll back existing commitments to people whose lives have been so badly and sadly impacted by the company's operations." He is therefore calling for a comprehensive compensation plan to be implemented by AGA as soon the company comes out of its current difficulties. Attached is a copy of the MP's letter: MINISTER MINISTRY OF LANDS & NATURAL RESOURCES ACCRA Dear Sir, THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION FOR ANYINAM AND SANSO COMMUNITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI'S MINING OPERATIONS I write on behalf and upon the advice of the leaders of Anyinam and Sansu, two communities in the Obuasi West constituency. Both communities are indigenous settlements that predate corporate mining in Obuasi but came to be captured within the mineral concession granted AngloGold Ashanti (AGA). The entire Obuasi municipality and all the surrounding areas have been affected in some ways by AGA's mining operations. That is to be expected and permitted. If a big mining operation such as that of AGA happens in an area, it is reasonable to expect that the communities there would have to live with some impact. Unfortunately however, the impact of AGA's operations on Anyinam and Sanso is out of the ordinary, and requires special attention. The company, because the communities are located within its concession, has taken lands to the very door step of the communities. Consequently, mining operations and many day-to-day activities of the inhabitants intermingle. In the case of Anyinam, the entire community is trapped on all sides by the operational sites and other facilities of AGA. Where AGA desires to use any land in the immediate neighbourhood of these communities, the company pays for the crops on the land to the affected farmer, and takes over the land for their operational purpose. Hon Minister, a visit to the communities, which I urge you to undertake, will reveal that the closeness (and in many case, the intermingling) of the operations of the company with the day-to-day activities of the communities offends the dignity of the inhabitants and oppresses their economic development in many ways. Other physical impacts such as the destruction of all water bodies, the drainage and erosion problems resulting from the destruction of the natural topography and disruption of drainage courses within and around the communities, the death traps resulting from abandoned mine pits, etc, can all be verified by an impact assessment team. While AGA has responded to the situation by the provision of, among other benefits, free electricity supply and borehole water to the communities, these are woefully inadequate and do not address in any meaningful way the awful impact mining activities have had on the very lives of the people there. And even that, as part of AGA's Mining Amendment Programme which is currently before you for approval, AGA intends to withdraw electricity supply to these communities, including electricity supply to the mechanised borehole provided to the people of Sanso as a replacement for the destruction of their traditional water sources. In view of the wholesale impact of AGA's operations on the very fabric of the communities, the individual and piece meal compensation paid to affected farmers for the destruction of their crops is inadequate, and does not satisfy sections 73 and 74 of Minerals and Mining Act of 2006. To the extent that these communities as a whole have been adversely and profoundly impacted by the operations of AGA, there must be comprehensive remedy for the communities as a whole. We recognise that the company is going through temporary challenges, and needs the support, now more than ever, from the communities in which it operates. We are happy to give this support. However, it is necessary to ensure that the amendment programme put forward as a solution to the company's temporary difficulties does not provide a cover to legitimise AGA's wrong treatment of these communities; nor should the amendment be allowed to roll back existing commitments to people whose lives have been so badly and sadly impacted by the company's operations. On behalf of Anyinam and Sanso therefore, I write respectfully in accordance with the Mining and Minerals Act of 2006 to ask for the preparation and adoption (by AGA and the communities) of a binding and comprehensive compensation plan for the communities. To moderate the financial burden this would put on the company, the plan can be prepared while the company goes through care-and-maintenance and fully implemented once the company comes out of the care-and-maintenance mode. Kwaku Kwarteng (MP, Obuasi West Constituency) CC: Managing Director, AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi. Municipal Chief Executive, Obuasi. Presiding Member, Obuasi. Chief Executive, Minerals Commission, Accra. Sansohene, Obuasi. Anyinamhemaa, Obuasi. Nana Adansihene, Fomena.