The Talensi Mining Communities Initiative (TAMCI) has demanded the resignation of the District Chief Executive, Thomas Duanab. TAMCI is a youth group that represents about 5000 members.
Their demand stems from what they perceive as his failure to maintain peace and protect miners in the area.
“We will not leave this untouched if he does not resign because we see him as the main threat. He is the cause of the problems we are having in the mining communities. The land that the action took place was already in court, yet the DCE, as the District Security Council, led the security people there to commit this act. If he does not resign, we and the youth of Talensi will advise ourselves against this government,” the leader of the group, Bismark Azumah, indicated.
The call for resignation follows a tragic incident where a level 300 student at the University of Cape Coast, identified as Bright, was fatally shot by military operatives, and four others were wounded.
On March 15, 2024, a joint security force, consisting of military and police personnel under the District Security Council and Regional Security Council, responded to a request from Earl International Mining Company. Earl International sought the closure of 15 pits that have been described as the operating illegally by the company.
At a press conference held on April 2nd, 2024, the youth group not only called for the resignation of the DCE but also condemned the violent response by the security forces.
They argued that the duty of law enforcement agencies is to protect all citizens, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
They also urged Earl International to seek legal recourse through the courts if they believe small-scale miners are operating unlawfully.
“We must respect the courts and the laws. The law, the court, and security services exist not to protect only the interests of the rich and powerful but every ordinary citizen of Ghana,” the group leader, Bismark Zumah, emphasized.
He added, “We expected the DCE and the Minerals Commission to apply the Minerals and Mining Regulation (Resettlement and Compensations) 2012, L.I. 2175, advise Earl International to recruit a proper Social Responsibility Manager, help the community recruit a mining consultant, compile an inventory of physical assets and all businesses that would be affected, and then resettle or compensate the affected persons.”
Meanwhile, the DCE declined to speak on the issue at the time of filing this report.
Below is the full press…
SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT: THERE ARE NO ILLEGAL SMALL-SCALE MINERS IN EARL INTERNATIONAL CONCESSION. 01/04/2024
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we greet you with love and at the same time with a heavy heart.
On Friday, 15th March 2024, a combined force of military and police stormed the mining site at Gbane in the Talensi District and gruesomely murdered Bright Mbadiatong, a son of the Tongrana and wounded several others as contracted by Earl International Gold Group (Gh. Ltd) formerly known as Shaanxi Mining Ltd. They did this because they had come to shut down the small-scale mining pits and all other related businesses and possibly drive everyone out of the site and community for full operations of the wicked Chinese gold mining company, Earl International.
The miners resisted being driven away by refusing to move away from their pits. Everyone at the site protested to prevent the destruction of their businesses and lives. The soldiers shot at them unprovoked and unarmed. Their actions did not pose a threat to the security. The police commander withdrew his men but the soldiers stayed and shot killing Bright, a level 300 student at the University of Cape Coast and wounded 4 others with bullets.
MEDIA ENCOUNTER WITH THOMAS PEARSON DUANAB, DCE FOR TALENSI
Ladies and gentlemen, we heard the DCE of Talensi, Thomas Pearson Duanab, in response to a question from TV3, declare that the small-scale miners were illegally operating in the area and were intruding in Earl International operations.
We are here to SET THE RECORDS STRAIGHT REVEALING THE DEEPEST TRUTH HOWEVER POSSIBLE:
1. The site has 27 concessions and about 200 mining pits.
2. Unregulated small-scale mining started since 1992 and the Mineral Commission took over giving them concessions since 2006.
3. Shaanxi Gold Ltd turned Earl International arrived and started extracting as Mining Support service provider to Yenyeya and Pubortaaba concessions in 2010.
4. In competition with the rest of the small-scale miners Shaanxi operations killed about 60 people and injured several others. Shaanxi was purely an illegal business enterprise shielded by authorities to steal, kill and destroy Ghana and Ghanaians.
5. They registered to become large-scale mining company and decided to take over the site rudely.
6. They wrote the most stupid and bogus agreement ever in Ghana supervised by the Regional Minister and CEO of Minerals Commission in 2022. This agreement was intended to be between the concession owners and Earl International. It was prepared without the basis of any law or regulations of the Minerals Commission.
7. Poor agreement was NOT accepted by Yenyeya concession, Nalamtaaba concession and few others. The so-called agreement manifested a lot of corruption-related cases and caused troubles such that there are many court cases involving some small-scale miners against Earl International, the Regional Minister, the DCE and Minerals Commission.
CATEGORIES OF SMALL-SCALE MINERS
The small-scale miners since 1992 have had underground hard rock mining pits. They developed over the years registering their concessions at various levels with the Minerals Commission.
Some have valid licences, others have expired licences seeking renewal while others had pending applications at the Minerals commission. In every concession, there are many mining pits owned by different people. Every pit has financier, director, various workers and labourers and local support service providers. There are many related businesses such that, the site is a complete business community with health, education, electricity, market and relevant facilities.
APPLICATION OF RELEVANT LAWS IN MINING GOVERNANCE
We expected the DCE and the Minerals Commission to apply the Minerals and Mining Regulation (Resettlement and Compensations) 2012, L. I. 2175, advise Earl International to recruit a proper Social Responsibility Manager, help the community recruit a mining consultant, compile an inventory of physical assets and all businesses that would be affected and then resettle or compensate the affected persons. This would have been the appropriate procedure with sure legal bases and common sense. However they selected only concession owners, intimidated them and with the help of five (5) improper representatives, compelled some of the concession owners to receive various meagre amounts of money from Earl International as trespassing fees, compensation and 2% royalties from Earl International annual gross product. This document has since remained a secret document for one Robert Tampoare and the Minister. No any other person knows the details. Individual concession owners as separate business entities have never entered into any agreement with Earl International and have taken any money based on any agreement whatsoever.
DCE AND REGIONAL MINISTER ATTACK ON NALAMTABA CONCESSION OWNER
Ladies and gentlemen, when the CEO of Nalamtaaba concession, Zongdan Boyak popularly known as POLO, rejected the agreement, he was attacked by the DCE and the Minister. Thomas Duanab went to the mining site and Gbane Chief Palace and declared that they had sacked Polo from site and that his concession belonged to Earl International. And he said that the allegiance of all pit owners be directed to him the DCE and Chief of Gbane. He did this several times secretly and openly, inciting violence and separation between Polo and his pit owners.
Yes, Polo was stoned and denied access to his business at the site. The DCE Duanab constantly visited the site working and acting as though he was the new CEO to Polo’s concession. Polo secured High Court injunction against the DCE, Earl International, Minerals Commission, the Chief of Gbane, one individual called Paazdie Nab alias Commando and another person Ibrahim Nab alias Gold Baron not to venture into Polo’s concession and not to interfere with his business. The judge was also attacked and when a new judge took over he was also threatened. This case is still pending in court.
DCE AND REGIONAL MINISTER INVASION OF SMALL SCALE MINING SITE
The DCE and Regional Minister failed in all their promises:
1. Relocating the small-scale miners at Yameriga and Zomela failed.
2. Realistic Compensations to small-scale miners failed.
3. Failure to maintain peace and protect miners 4. Most of the EARL INTERNATIONAL funds meant for small-scale miners is suspiciously diverted for DCE, Minister, one Robert Tampoare and a chief.
Worse is when they used the military and police to force them out with shootings with live bullets. The DCE and Minister had since then campaigned on various platforms misleading people that illegal miners were disturbing Earl International and entering to steal gold ore. They invited pit owners to REGSEC meetings after failing to convince them to park out.
TAMCI DEMANDS
We join Talensis to condemn this terrible military/police force in the area. We therefore make the following demands:
1. Apply the Minerals and Mining Regulations if Earl International is qualified enough to operate in the area as a large-scale miner
2. Prepare proper and fair shareholders agreement between Earl International and concession owners.
3. The DCE Duanab Thomas to resign as DCE for Talensi District Assembly before he is kicked out by H.E President Nana Addo or Vote of No confidence by the Talensi District Assembly .
4. Police/Military force on our people must stop
5. Earl International should go to Court to enforce their rights if truly any small-scale miner breaks the law. We must respect the courts and the laws. The law, the court and security services exist NOT to protect only the interest of the rich and powerful but every ordinary citizen of Ghana.
6. The High Court injunction in protection of Polo’s Nalamtaaba concession must be respected and honored by all.
7. Until the above demands are fulfilled the small-scale miners must be left alone to be operating at the surface towards 300m depth while Earl International operates deep further above 400m depth. The surface mining must be left for small-scale miners.
8. We demand justice for late Bright
9. The DCE and Regional Minister must apologise to the Chiefs and Tindanam in the area for killing their children indiscriminately. There are about 22 traditional rulers around the area who ought to have been consulted.
10. Apologise to some traditional rulers, opinion leaders, assembly members and leaders of the small-scale miners who warned the DCE, Mr. Duanab Pearson Thomas and the Regional Minister not to undertake such a dangerous action of closing their mining pits but were ignored.
Sign ………….. Zumah Bismark ( President)
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga|
