A Ghanaian Community on the Country’s land border with Cote d’Ivoire is agitating over the mining of gold in the community.
According to the agitating residents of Nsonsommea, a farming Community in Jaman North District, of the Bono Region allowing mining in the community will be inimical to cashew farming which is the mainstay of peasant farmers in the community.
They also argue that gold mining could attract rebels and other criminals to the community.
The residents in a consultative meeting with the District Chief Executive, for Jaman North Adane Ankomah, and officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) insisted they will not allow
Strategic Security System international Company Limited to mine gold on their land.
Okra Charles, a Unit Committee Member who spoke on behalf of the Chief and Elders said “in 2017 this company called strategic mining company limited came to this Community and without any corporate social agreement started mining. Many residents are not happy about the operation of the company here because we are closer to Cote’divoire so we are afraid it will bring criminals to the community, Secondly, this is a cashew farming Community therefore mining here will destroy all the cashew farms”
Some angry residents threatened to Vote against the ruling government if the President fails to block the company from going ahead with its intended mining in the community.
“We will not allow this mining to happen. The Chief who allowed the company to the community we are destooling him from today. I mean Nana Obeng Dapaah he seizes to be a Chief. We are telling the government that this year is election year if the government fails to stop the mining we will vote against him” a resident said.
Another angry resident stated “They want to destroy our farms; the gold company is destroying our sources of livelihood and our sources of happiness.”
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
