Newmont, Kenyase youth clash: CSOs call for withdrawal of soldiers

Some Civil Society Organisations in the Ahafo region have questioned the deployment of military personnel around Newmont’s Ahafo mine when the police could provide the needed security to the company’s site and other installations.

The CSOs are therefore calling on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency and the Minerals Commission to call Newmont to order by ensuring that all the military personnel deployed at Newmont’s Ahafo mine are withdrawn within the shortest possible time.

They are also asking the Inspector-General of Police to ensure that all policemen manning mining companies have maximum respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry saying; “the police should be our friend and protector, not the reverse.”

Richard Adjei-Poku, the Executive Director of Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), speaking at a press conference in Sunyani on behalf of the CSOs, appealed to all Ghanaians to join hands to put Newmont on their toes “to ensure that their presence in Ghana is of benefit to all and not simply a few.”

The press conference was organized by LEG in collaboration with Ahafo Civil Society Groups and supported by National Coalition on Mining under the auspices of Power of Voice Project in response to the recent shooting of one person and the injury caused to four others by the police.

Background

Last Tuesday morning, Ameyaw Francis, a 23-year-old young man was shot dead while four others sustained varying degrees of injury when personnel of the Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the Ghana Police attached to Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo South mine clashed with the youth at Kenyase over a misunderstanding between them.

The FPU personnel are said to have chased the five persons, who were said to be riding on a tricycle popularly called “Aboboya” from a point on the main Ntotroso – Kenyase road to the outskirts of Kenyase Number Two, where they opened fire on the five, who were not armed, killing one instantly and severely injuring the remaining four.

The action by the police angered the entire youth of Kenyase, who went on a rampage and besieged the Mensah Kumta Village, the official residential place for expatriates and some other management staff of Newmont, and reportedly ransacked and looted as many buildings they could forcefully open.

At the press conference last Thursday, Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku, reminded Newmont of several persons, mostly community members, who have either lost their lives or sustained some injuries as a result of Newmont’s operations over the years and described last Tuesday’s incident as “one of the most unfortunate, barbaric and unethical of all actions.”

Human rights

He said the police could have arrested the five men as they were unarmed and defenceless to harm the police, adding that it is unlawful for the security personnel to take the law in their hands and kill an unarmed suspected thief when in fact they knew that it is against the laws of Ghana.

“Article 13(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states that: No person shall be deprived of his life intentionally except in the exercise of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the laws of the Ghana of which he has been convicted”, he stated.

According to him, the three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights advocate for governments and companies to protect, respect, and remedy human rights issues. In fact, it compels companies to meet their respective duties and responsibilities to prevent human rights abuses in their operations and provide remedies if such abuses take place.

“It is surprising to note that Newmont who describes itself as a responsible miner has never compensated any of the victims of human rights violations nor their relatives but CONSAR which is a sub-contractor of Newmont in 2018 compensated her victims”, he further said.

Find Below the full text of the address at the Press Conference.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY AHAFO CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS ON THE NOVEMBER 15, 2022 SHOOTING AND KILLING INCIDENT BY NEWMONT GHANA GOLD LIMITED (NGGL) AND THE FPU SECURITY PERSONNEL AT AHAFO KENYASI

Members of the press

Colleagues

Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon.

On behalf of Livelihood and Environment Ghana, Ahafo Civil Society Groups and the National Coalition on Mining (NCOM), we are pleased to welcome you to today's Press briefing.

We are here today for three main reasons. The first is to express and offer our solidarity to the family of deceased (Ameyaw Francis) 23 year old and to the four men who sustained gun-shot wounds. Also to individuals and communities in Ghana who have suffered various human rights abuses in the hands of mining companies and state security agencies. To our three brothers who were shot we wish you speedy recovery. The second is to condemn the barbaric, uncivilized, unethical and unconstitutional behavior of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the security personnel who took the Law in their hands to kill a suspected thief. The third is also to condemn Newmont for using the military in the assessment of compensation in its Ahafo North Project and for inadequate compensation schemes and packages paid to the respective property owners, which is also unconstitutional Article 20 (2,3), 1992 Constitution.

We know Ghana is endowed with considerable amount of natural and mineral resources. Ghana now is the leading producer of gold in Africa and ranks 8^th in the world. But instead of the extraction of these resources improving the livelihoods and living conditions of the local communities, it is rather destroying our water bodies, polluting communities with dust and noise, increasing hardship, paying scanty compensations for properties taken over, contributing to increasing crime and other social vices, increasing unemployment rate, increasing social conflicts and human rights violations, increasing environmental degradation and displacing communities. As if these are not enough, now it is actually killing our children and the youth.

Since 2004, approximately 16 people have died (13 Adults and 3 children) linked to the Newmont Ahafo South Mine project alone and several others have suffered various degrees of injuries by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and organizations and individuals affiliated to it.

At this time we remember:

1. , Kwabena-Poku, 20 years old, killed by a Newmont tipper-truck on Sunday December 25th, 2004 at Kenyasi No.2 junction,
2. Kofi Agyekum , drowned in the company (Newmont) water storage facility (WSF) on the 14th September, 2005
3. Yaw Frimpong also drowned in the company (Newmont) water storage facility (WSF) on the 14^th September, 2005.
4. Lot Amoako, a class six school pupil, killed by a Newmont vehicle on November 30th, 2005. Four others were injured at Atronie near Sunyani,
5. Adofo Asa, alias Obonsuo on the same year, a 35 year old man Adofo Asa, alias Obonsuo died, on Friday December 9th, 2005 at Kwaku Duakrom near Tutuka when he was contracted by Newmont to construct a Hand dug well.
6. Francis Sarfo, a 2 year old boy was also knocked-down and killed by Newmont client, BCM Toyota Land Cruiser, with registration number GR. 580 Q, on Wednesday January 25th, 2006 at Kenyasi number 2.
7. On or around May, 1^st 2015 Issaka Ibrahim a 23 years old man drowned in the same water dam of Newmont
8. On or around 11^th April, 2018, a tunnel roof of the Newmont Ahafo Mine expansion project collapsed and killed 6 persons and injured 4 others who were workers of CONSAR Company Limited, a sub-contractor of Newmont.
9. On Wednesday 22^nd September, 2021, 2 primary six school pupils, David Opoku 13 years old and Thomas Opoku 14 years old both drowned in the same water storage facility belonging to Newmont.

Now to address the most recent incident. On the 15^th of November, 2022, in what can be considered as one of the most unfortunate, barbaric and unethical of all actions, security personnel chased 5 unarmed, suspected thieves all the way from the Boom-gate and opened fire on them, shooting them in the back at Agyeman filling station, an entrance to Kenyasi No.2. As we have already noted one was killed, four were injured.

The police personnel (FPU) could have, in fact, arrested them because remember, they were unarmed and defenseless to harm the police. It is unlawful for the security personnel to take the law in their hands and kill an unarmed suspected thief when in fact they knew that it is against the laws of Ghana. “Article 13(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states that: No person shall be deprived of his life intentionally except in the exercise of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the laws of the Ghana of which he has been convicted”. These men have not been convicted by any competent court of jurisdiction so why do you kill or attempt to kill them?

Shooting at the suspected thieves at the entrance of Kenyasi town alone is too bad and is an action that must be condemned in no uncertain terms, because they could have killed other innocent persons.

The three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights advocate for governments and companies to protect, respect, and remedy human rights issues. In fact, it compels companies to meet their respective duties and responsibilities to prevent human rights abuses in their operations and provide remedies if such abuses take place. It is surprising to note that Newmont who describes itself as a responsible miner has never compensated any of the victims of human rights violations nor their relatives but CONSAR which is a sub-contractor of Newmont in 2018 compensated her victims.

Let me also note that apart from the incidence of death there are records of brutalities perpetuated by Newmont and state security agencies. An example is an incident that occurred at Ntotroso in 2006 and the recent brutalities on two innocent persons of whom one is a teacher at Ntotroso and the other a community member of Kenmyasi No.2 by the same FPU. Let me also say on record that there are other alleged incidence of killing and brutalities perpetuated by Newmont.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, kindly note that there are communities which are going through series of serious environmental and social challenges as a result of Newmont’s operations. For example Damso and its environs are facing serious python attacks, water pollution, noise pollution resulting in sleepless nights for its community members and suffering a range of communicable diseases.

We are therefore making the following demands:

1. That the agreement for the military to guard mining companies like Newmont be abrogated. We believe that protection of institutions within our borders is the mandate of the police, We cannot accept that the military is virtually being called on to be at war with its citizen’s on behalf of mining companies.
2. We are also calling the regulatory agencies; Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency and the Minerals Commission to call Newmont to order.
3. We are also calling the IGP to call the police personnel particularly those designated to the various mining affected communities to order and to respect human rights and protect citizens. The police should be our friend and protector, not the reverse.
4. And finally, we are calling all CSOs to join hands and bring Newmont to order and put them on their toes to ensure that their presence in Ghana is of benefit to all and not simply a few.

Martin Luther King Junior said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” An injustice to one is an injustice to all. May we all demand justice for ALL.

Thank you.