Review Minerals and Mining Act – Reverend Minister

Rev. Bossman Yeboah Johnson, the Head Pastor of the Great Joy Chapel of the Assemblies of God Church in Sunyani is calling for a review of the current Minerals and Mining Act to make it more responsive to the needs of the ordinary farmers and landowners whose lands are taken over by mining companies and paid just a one-off compensation.

In his view, the current arrangement under the law which makes mining companies pay a one-off compensation to land-owners and leave them to their fate deprives the land-owners of their source of livelihood and worsens their plight.

Rev Bossman Yeboah Johnson is, therefore, proposing a review of the current legal regime to make it mandatory for landowners whose lands are taken for the purposes of mining activities to have shares in the mining companies to enable them and their families derive maximum benefits from the mining activities.

Rev Bossman Yeboah Johnson was speaking to newsmen in Sunyani on the sidelines of a watch-night service organized by the Great Joy Chapel of the Assemblies of God Church in Sunyani to usher in the New Year.

He observed that often times the monies paid as compensation are woefully inadequate and could not sustain the landowners and their families for long, making them poorer and poorer.

Members of the church were seen singing, dancing, praying and giving testimonies about how God saw them through 2017 while Sunday school children of the church treated the congregation to a colourful choreography.

As part of the occasion, Grace Inner City Foundation, an NGO donated assorted food items to widows and other vulnerable members of the church.