Youth, Assembly members, others order WACAM to cease operations in Ahafo

The Ahafo Youth Coalition, Assembly and Unit Committee Members within the Newmont Ahafo North project have asked WACAM, a civil society organization, to halt its activities in the five major mining communities in the enclave.

The Coalition made up of a group comprising Youth Associations in Yamfo, Techire, Adrobaa, Afrisipakrom, and Susuanso in the Municipality stated, “We don’t want to believe that as a civil society organization, WACAM works to disregard community norms and also to aim at embolden individuals to disrespect their community leaders."

At a news conference held at Afrisipkarom, a mining community in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, the coalition added, “operations of WACAM in the area are impeding efforts towards resolving challenges between the mining company and some farmers whose properties have directly or indirectly been affected by the mine”.

Mr Richard Addai Yeboah, the spokesman of the Coalition and the Youth Chairman of Techire, noted that a lot of progress had been made so far for the Newmont Ahafo project to compensate the farmers and residents whose properties had been directly or indirectly affected by the mine.

“We are happy to say that there has been a lot of progress, but there still continues to be some challenges that confront the Newmont Ahafo North project, notably among them is the refusal of some individuals granting access to their farms and properties for compensation”, they stated.

“We have noticed the operations of WACAM, which we can say that almost all these individual farmers who are refusing access to their farms are all members of WACAM, trying to frustrate the mine’s operations in the area”, he stated.

“What is baffling is the uttermost disrespect to the five Ahafo North Chiefs by these individuals as they continue to walk out on them at stakeholders’ meetings to tackle the issues.

“Much as we understand that it is within the individual’s rights, it is also concerned if it inhibits the collective progress of the Ahafo North project and its benefits to the local communities and the youth.

“It is our understanding as youth, unit committee and assembly members that, there have been many attempts by different stakeholders including the Ahafo Regional Minister and our chiefs to engage these individuals to find amicable solution, but all to no avail all because WACAM is frustrating the process," he stated.

Meanwhile, the Coalition has debunked allegations that the chiefs in the area “are serving as the spokespersons” for the Newmont Ahafo North Mine, as being circulated in the social and other traditional media outlets.

It, therefore, called on individuals, groups and organisations to desist from attempts to disrupt the Newmont Ahafo North project, for the purposes of development in the local mining communities.

According to the coalition, “these allegations are gross disrespect towards our revered Chiefs in the five Ahafo North mining communities and the stories do not only bring the institution of chieftaincy in the enclave into disrepute, but also depict a clear misrepresentation of what is happening in the five Ahafo North communities.

“The Coalition will not countenance this disrespect towards our chiefs. How can chiefs who are working towards the progress of our communities be easily labeled as public relations for a company."

A copy of the statement jointly signed by Joshua Assan, Richard Addai Yeboah, Thomas Fosu Boateng, and Emmanuel Ntim Agyemang, the Chairmen for Yamfo Youth, Afrisipa Youth, Techire Youth, Adrobaa Youth and Susuanso Youth Associations, cautioned that they “will not sit unconcerned while people hide behind the media to disrespect our chiefs."

“No wonder so-called farmers that WACAM says are fighting for their interest are so disrespectful to the chiefs”, it said and called on WACAM to render unqualified apology to the chiefs and people in the five communities.

It continued, “Through the push and efforts of our chiefs who have been labelled as spokesperson for Newmont, Newmont has contributed over $38 million to support Ahafo communities through the Ahafo Development Foundation."

The statement explained that through Newmont, the Yamfo College of Health had benefited from an administration block and six-unit classroom block, the company also provided micro-credit support for women in the area.