Communities affected by Kingross Mines visit Newmont’s catchment area on fact-finding mission

Representatives of some communities directly impacted by the operations of the Kingross Chirano Gold Mines in the Western-North region have paid a day’s familiarization visit to some mining communities in the Asutifi North district of the Ahafo region, where Newmont Ghana Gold Limited undertakes large scale mining.

The visit is to afford them the opportunity to compare notes as regards to how the mining companies operating in their respective areas have mitigated the effects posed to them as a result of their operations.

The 31-member delegation represented Chirano, Obrayeko, Kwawkrom and Etwebo in the Bibiani-Anwiaso-Bekwai Municipality as well as Akoti and Paboase in the Wiaso district.

Their visit took them to the Kenyase Resettlement Camp at Kenyase Number Two and Tutuka where they interacted with the community members to ascertain the effects posed to them the mining activities of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.

They also enquired about issues relating to resettlement, compensation payment and life after being resettled.

David Mensah, the Secretary for the group, told the media that cracks on their building as a result of blasting by Kingross Chirano Gold Mines, pollution of their major sources of water, poor road network, questionable compensation payments and unemployment among the youth of the communities around Kingross Mines remain some of their major concerns.

He called on the government and the authorities of the Mines to, as a matter of urgency, take immediate steps to address the concerns of the people in the six communities who constitutes the immediate catchment area of the mining company.

Other members of the delegation in separate interviews complained about sub-standard resettlement houses built for them as compared to their counterparts in Kenyase as well as the need for Kingross to pay their electricity bills for them.

Charles Oppong, a Unit Committee Member at the Kenyasi Resettlement site, who briefed the delegation upon their arrival, explained the untold hardships visited on them by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited since they were resettled there almost two decades ago.

He said, for instance that, even though they were promised jobs at the initial stages of their resettlement, Newmont had woefully failed in that regard as most job opportunities rather go to residents at the main Kenyase town while those at the resettlement camp are always neglected.

According to him, all their efforts to get any assistance from the Asutifi North District Assembly and the traditional authorities in the area have fallen into deaf ears and have virtually been left to their fate without any help from any quarters.