About 300 citizens of Akyem Kotoku traditional area have kicked against the granting of license to Newmont Gold Ghana Ltd (NGGL) to prospect for minerals in the Ajenua Bepo Forest Reserve.
The petitioners who include farmers, youth and citizens who believe their livelihoods and environmental security would be affected by the operations of Newmont Akyem project have also condemned recent statements issued by some Akyem Traditional Rulers, youth and other agents of Newmont on the concerns raised by United Nations against the Newmont Akyem project.
The three page letter dated August 25, 2009, was forwarded to the Ministers for Lands and Natural Resources and Environment Science and Technology and copied to the Executive Director of the Environment Protection Agency and the Country Representative of UNDP
In the letter the concerned groups noted unequivocally that the Akyem project of Newmont would destroy the Ajenua Bepo Forest reserve, which is a Forest Reserve of biodiversity importance, “and the Forest Reserve is at an altitude, which promotes rainfall and supports agriculture in the area”.
“There is no doubt that the destruction of the Ajenua Bepo Forest Reserve would affect agriculture in the area. Newmont has stated in its documents that its mining operations would destroy many sites of cultural importance especially cemeteries including a Royal cemetery in Yayaso, shrines, etc” the petition noted.
The group accused Newmont of contravening Section 73 (3) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), using all manner of manipulations through the Crop Rate Compensation Committee which was set up by Newmont to impose compensation rates on the poor farmers.
“Section 73 (3) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) states clearly that the amount of compensation payable shall be determined by an agreement between the owner or lawful occupier of any land subject to a mineral right and the holder of a mineral right (the mining company)”, the group contended.
According to the group they have information that Newmont used the same method to compensate cocoa farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region, who were affected by the company’s mining activities, and this action has worsened the situation of the poor farmers.
In the letter, the petitioners also repeated the allegation that Newmont had influenced some chiefs and opinion leaders in the area with money and contracts to do “the dirty work” on the ground for the miners.
They said when they realised this action by Newmont they contacted WACAM to help them fight against the opening of the project which would last for only 15 years but would cause permanent harm to their lands, pollute rivers and destroy their cultural heritage.
“The chiefs who are now acting as agents of Newmont would not be personally affected by the Newmont Akyem mining project” said the group, adding, “We are very happy that the UN Commission for Human Rights has questioned the rationale behind mining in the Ajenua Bepo forest reserve based on national and global concerns.
According to the group when Newmont could not respond effectively to the UN querry, they contracted “agents made up of some chiefs, youth and opinion leaders to do the dirty work for them. Instead of responding to the concerns of the UN, Newmont and its paid agents decided to resort to unwarranted attacks on WACAM”.
“We wish to state that the Newmont Akyem project would lead to the loss of livelihood for about 10,000 people, destruction of cultural heritage including public cemeteries and royal cemeteries among others. These negative impacts have been stated in the Environmental Impact Statement of Newmont”, the group reiterated.
Commenting on the purported letter sent to the UN by some Akyem Traditional Rulers, said “these paid agents of Newmont, which unfortunately includes some chiefs, spoke for themselves and not everybody in the area because we are individual property owners who are fighting to protect our properties and the future generation”.
The petitioners who had earlier sent petitions to government against the Newmont Akyem Project signed by about 215 Farmers and citizens in the area on 1st September 2006 and 28th February 2008 have therefore thrown their support behind calls against surface mining operations that Newmont intends to carry out in the Ajenua Bepo forest reserve, since they believe it would destroy the Forest Reserve.
By Justice Lee Adoboe
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