Nana Kwesi Ansah (middle) addressing journalists
The youth of Huniso in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region, have appealed to the government to renew the mining lease of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa mine, when it expires next year.
According to them, although no mining company is without environmental and social challenges, claims that Gold Fields has contributed nothing significant to host communities is factually untrue.
The residents argued that the mining firm has provided and continue to provide vital local employment, fund community infrastructure, as well as support local businesses.
They have, therefore, called on the authorities concerned to ignore the narrative being pushed by some opinion leaders under the guise of ‘local ownership’ and ‘shared prosperity’.
They asserted that the move by some traditional leaders in the area was a calculated manoeuver aimed at hijacking a vital national asset for private gain.
The Huniso Youth, who were joined by their colleagues from adjoining communities, including Tebe, Abekoasi and Samahu, in a press conference, called on the government to disregard what they termed as “self-centred agenda” of some opinion leaders.
Prior to the press conference, the residents, clad mostly in T-shirts with the inscription “Gold Fields Must Stay’, marched through the principal streets of Huniso amidst brass band music.
They later converged at the area’s community centre to organise the press conference.
Addressing the media, spokesperson for the youth, Nana Kwesi Ansah, noted that the Tarkwa mine is a world-class, deep open pit requiring hundreds of millions of dollars in continuous capital expenditure.
“To suggest that an untested wholly Ghanaian-owned company or state vehicle can suddenly step in and maintain the scale, safety and operational efficiency of the Tarkwa mine, is an illusion,” he stressed.
He disclosed that through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, the company has invested over $109 million directly into host communities, delivering projects including the 33-kilometre asphalted Tarkwa-Damang road.
He also mentioned the construction of over 10,000 capacity Tarkwa and Aboso (TnA) stadium, scholarship scheme for the local youth, construction of community water projects, health facilities and some agricultural initiatives.
“So to pretend that these multi-million dollar legacy projects do not exist, simply to manufacture a justification for denying a lease extension, is a bad-faith bargaining,” he alleged.
Nana Kwesi Ansah however, called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to use the renewal process to demand a stricter, legally binding Community Development Agreement (CDA).
He also suggested that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources should demand that the company completes the Health Training School it has started and other economically viable projects.
“We also expect that the lease extension guarantees job security, technical training and prioritise local recruitment for the youth of Apinto,” he stated.
He pointed out that foreign direct investment, when properly regulated and held accountable, remains the surest driver of sustainable industrial growth.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Huniso