Over 500 youth in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region have vowed to take action against two mining companies that have failed to employ them despite operating in the area for close to ten years.
The young people have formed a coalition dubbed the Talensi Youth Group and on Sunday, April 9, 2023, issued a press release warning the two mining companies, Earl International Gold Limited and Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, to either rescind their actions or face their fury.
Richard Yondol, who read the press release on behalf of the members, indicated that they were aware of the companies’ diabolical attitudes of denying them jobs and hence were ready to resist such policies.
“We are aware of their diabolic attitude of denying both our youth jobs in the name of lacking experience and local contractors the opportunity to work with them. We shall resist companies whose corporate policies are not in support of our human capital development. We are aware of Cardinal Mining clearing parts of our land without proper consultations and compensations to the immediate impact communities and their apology thereafter.”
He stressed further that “We will not sit aloft for mining companies to take ‘Talenteng’ Youth for granted. We hereby call on the government, the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, the Mineral Commission, the Talensi District Assembly, the Talensi Traditional Council, and opinion leaders of Talenteng to, as a matter of urgency, call on the investors to do what is right in law and in good practise to ensure Talenteng and, for that matter, the Youth are gainful employed in the mines otherwise no meaningful activity of theirs will be undertaken.”
He also called on the two mining companies to stop issuing directives that one should have five to ten years of working experience before one can be employed.
“The issue of five to 10 years of work experience before one can be employed is bogus. As landlords, we want priority and protocols to be solely exercised for the immediate impact of communities.”
Meanwhile, the youth have also called on the public to stop ridiculing the name of their paramount chief, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nalebigtang.
“We want to strongly condemn the actions of some persons or groups of persons who are irrelevant in decision making in the region to desist from their malicious and selfish interests and stop attacking prominent persons in society. Any attempt to bring the good name of our overlord into disrepute will not yield any results. We want to state clearly that we stand solidly with our Traditional Council and its President, Tongraan, Kugbilsong Nalebigtang, for the development of Talenteng and its youth. We further state that our Tindanam and Chiefs are custodians of our land, and the people therein discharge their duties in honesty and justice.”
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Ghana
