Allegations and accusations within the mining enclave in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region continue to emerge in different angles by some residents who feel a sense of entitlement to the benefit that comes from the huge deposits of gold in the area, and that they have been sidelined.
In recent times, some youth groups have tried getting the attention of large-scale mining companies and the government for what they believe is their right and must be done their way, without recourse to industry practice and regulations guiding mineral resources distribution and social responsibility arrangements.
The latest of such demands is a group calling itself Talensi Mining Community Initiative (TAMCI), which held a press conference on July 12, 2025, demanding the responsibility of championing the social responsibility drive with the mining companies instead of the district assembly and traditional council mandated to lead with the involvement of other key stakeholders including youth and women groups.
TAMCI accused the traditional leaders who are part of the local employment committees, set up to ensure maximization of local employment, of taking bribes from prospective employees for jobs in the mining companies.
Digaare Chief, Naab Alhaji Ibrahim Boarebon, representing one of the host communities of CNML and a member of the Talensi Traditional Council, accused by TAMCI of accepting bribes for job placements, explained that TAMCI members once visited him at his palace along with a cameraman to request his cooperation and support in their agenda to champion the development of the area with the mining companies.
According to the revered Chief, the group outlined some development lapses like education, health, water and sanitation, roads, on the face of the gold deposit in the area, and for these reasons, he (the Digaare Chief) should cooperate with them to get these mining companies and the government to develop the area through their group.
His Highness explained that the company has already established Community Employment Committees (CECs) across various impacted communities, with a centralized local employment committee set up at the Talensi Traditional Council (TTC). “Through these committees, Cardinal Namdini Mining advertises job opportunities and sources all local labour required for both its operations and those of its subcontractors.
He added, any local labour employed there has been sourced through us(CECs) and other local stakeholders and we are the people who nominate natives for interview and selection, adding the management of the company does not dictate who we propose for employment”. He explained “it is this arrangement that has created the idyllic atmosphere the company has enjoyed from its construction phase to its current project commissioning stage”.
According to the Chief, because he and other chiefs in the Talensi Traditional Council did not accept the leadership of the group, they started a journey of accusations and allegations just to paint a dark picture of corruption on them, as well as using the traditional rulers against the residents of Talenteng for their selfish interests.
He encouraged skilled and unskilled youth to register with their various local employment committees for identification and selection and to avoid associating with fraudulent youth associations.
“Since Cardinal Namdini Mining started its exploration, through construction and currently production, a lot of people across Ghana have been recruited, and recruitment is still ongoing. “As the chief of Digaare, no one has ever given me money in exchange for getting employed with the mining company.
Through my efforts, a lot of prospective workers with the right qualifications and skills from different backgrounds have been employed at Cardinal Namdini Mining without taking a dime from them”, Naab Alhaji Ibrahim Boarebon stated.
The chief stated that the Talensi Traditional Council possesses Momo receipts of some members of the TAMCI group who have collected so much money from unsuspecting Ghanaians for various jobs at Cardinal Namdini Mining. They took steps to stem the tide, and that is what has angered those youth to spew baseless venom on their traditional leaders.
To ascertain the veracity of the allegations, none of the local workers contacted confirmed ever paying any bribe for their jobs. The Chief added that they appreciate the resettlement and compensation packages provided for them by the company in July 2022, contrary to the erroneous publication by TAMCI. According to him, Cardinal Namdini Mining implemented a robust resettlement structure and compensation, which was developed in collaboration with the community, the district assembly, their consultant, and other stakeholders.
The resettlement project included significant improvements to infrastructure, such as well-furnished schools, healthcare facilities (health centers), places of worship, electricity, potable water, decent town roads, and modern housing units equipped with essential amenities.
“Additionally, CNML actively supported the community through livelihood restoration programs and assistance for vulnerable individuals. We remain committed to working with the company to ensure the well-being and development of our communities.”
Naab Alhaji Ibrahim Boarebon is therefore urging residents in Talenteng to keep believing in their traditional leaders and the bright future of the area, and always avail themselves to opportunities in the mining sector by reaching out to the local employment committee of the Talensi Traditional Council where more than one thousand residents in the area have so far been employed by the mining companies without paying any bribe but because they are from Talenteng, Upper East and most importantly, are Ghanaians.
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