A civil society organisation, Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) has organised a day’s stakeholder on the rights and responsibilities of mining communities for the chiefs and people of Sherigu in the Bolgatanga municipality. The forum centred on the minerals and mining policies of Ghana, ECOWAS, and Africa geared towards influencing responsible mining, equitable sharing of mineral resources, promoting peace, and the promotion of human rights.
The Executive Director of NORPRA, Bismark Adongo Ayorogo said there was a need to organise the forum in the community to raise awareness on the rights and responsibilities following the entry of a mining company to the community.
“Our motivation is that over the years, wherever there is mining, or wherever there are mineral resources there are always associated challenges. We all know that mining makes a significant contribution to the development of every community and country. But the other side of mining is something that is not the best. So, this program beyond its objective is seeking to see how we can maximise the benefits of mining and then reduce the challenges associated with the exploitation of these mineral resources”, he stated.
During the forum, various topics were discussed, including the right to a clean and healthy environment, the right to fair compensation for land and resources, and the right to be involved in decision-making processes that affect the Sherigu community.
The forum also highlights residents’ responsibilities in ensuring their community’s sustainable development. This includes holding mining companies accountable for their actions, promoting transparency and good governance, and actively participating in community development projects.
Representatives from the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, traditional leaders, Mineral Commission, Lands Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Forestry Commission regulatory bodies, assembly members, opinion leaders, and a mining company known as Youwerei Natural Resources were present at the forum to provide information and answer questions from the residents.
The forum was well-received by the residents, who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn about their rights and responsibilities. They also pledged to actively engage in efforts to protect their community’s interests and ensure sustainable development.
Rex Asanga, Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive commended the civil society organisation for organising the forum which is in line with the government’s policy of ensuring that mining is done responsibly.
With the coming in of a mining company in the Sherigu community, Mr. Asanga urged the community members to be guided and learn lessons from existing mining companies and communities “for the purpose of minimising the challenges through building and sustaining good relationships between the community and the company.”
The MCE mentioned that the government’s quest to encourage locals living in mining communities to undertake responsible mining has introduced the Community Mining Scheme (CMS). According to Mr. Asanga, the policy when harnessed well would create jobs and improve the livelihoods of the community members.
But the chief of Sherigu, Naba Thomas Apasinaba II could not fathom why the government delayed in providing the community members with the licence to mine but instead approved the licence to a non-indigene to mine in the Sherigu community. His remarks come after the community members in the year 2019 started the process to acquire a licence from the government through the Mineral Commission which has not yielded results until a private mining company known as Youwerei Natural Resources owned by former professional Ghanaian footballer 2020 secured a small-scale licence to mine gold in the community.
The Chief of Dorongo, Naba Afayure Akazire who spoke on behalf of the Sherigu Naba said the government’s desire to promote local interest in responsible mining cannot be achieved when capable community members are denied licence to mine gold.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Sherigu|Ghana
