The Member of Parliament for Talensi, Daniel Dung Mahama, has expressed deep frustration over the lack of employment opportunities for the people of Talensi in mining companies operating within the district, despite the district being endowed with gold resources.
Speaking during the confirmation of John Millim Naabwomya as DCE for Talensi, Mr. Mahama lamented that despite the presence of major mining operations in Talensi, residents have been largely left out of the employment chain. He described the situation as an injustice and called for immediate steps to ensure the people of Talensi benefit fairly from the mineral resources on their land.
“Our people are living on gold, but how many of us are working in the mining companies?” he questioned. “Our mothers and sisters used to gather ‘dawadawa’ and shea nuts on these lands. Now the lands have been fenced off for mining, yet we cannot find jobs to feed our families. This is painful.”
The MP recounted a recent incident where a native of Talensi who secured employment in a mining company in southern Ghana was terminated after just 34 days of work due to protests by people from that area who objected to his employment.
“One of our own got a job down south in one of the mining companies. After just over a month of working, people blocked the company gate, saying if he continues to work there, they would not allow the company to operate. Eventually, he was sacked,” Mr. Mahama said.
He used the incident to highlight the broader issue of regional inequality in job opportunities and stressed that it was time for Talensi to reclaim its fair share of employment and development opportunities.
The lawmaker called on the chiefs and people of the area to remain united in the quest for development and pledged to work closely with traditional authorities to demand better social responsibility from mining firms.
“We are not here to take away the slot of the chiefs. Rather, we want a dual approach—one wing for the chiefs and one wing for the Talensi people within the assembly—so we can ensure the social corporate responsibility of these companies is fulfilled,” he stated.
Mr. Mahama emphasized that meaningful development in Talensi cannot happen without the full involvement of traditional leaders, adding, “We will work with our chiefs to make sure Talensi is developed.”
He concluded by urging the people of Talensi to stay united in demanding what is due to them from the mining companies. “We can only achieve this when we are united. Let us come together, raise our voices, and ensure Talensi receives its fair share in the mining sector,” he said.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Talensi
