The Upper East Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Sarah Bachon-Ene Mwinibuobu Bamie, has urged Maripoma Mining Services Limited to invest in aquaculture training for young people in Zongoiri and surrounding communities who may not secure employment at its proposed gold mine.
She said supporting young people to venture into fish farming could provide alternative livelihoods, particularly for unskilled workers who may not benefit directly from employment opportunities at the mine.
Mrs Bamie made the call while chairing a panel at a public hearing organised by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on Maripoma Mining Services Limited’s proposed surface gold mining and processing project at Zongoiri in the Bawku West District.
According to her, although the proposed mining activities could affect water bodies and rivers in the area, the project also presented development opportunities if properly managed.
She acknowledged that five communities would be directly affected by the proposed project and indicated that provisions would be made to address their needs.
Mrs Bamie therefore urged the mining company to include aquaculture training in its livelihood restoration programme to support residents who might lose existing sources of income or struggle to find employment at the mine.
“Most of the unskilled labour cannot be employed. I want to propose an alternative, put them into well-organised groups. When we adopt the cooperative model, you support us to train them in skills for aquaculture,” she stated.
She explained that organising young people into cooperatives and equipping them with fish farming skills could create sustainable employment opportunities while contributing to food security in the affected communities.
The Fisheries Director also appealed to residents to support the proposed mining project and engage constructively with the company over concerns about its potential environmental and social impacts.
She urged community members to remain patient and reconsider positions that could hinder dialogue, stressing the need for cooperation between residents and the mining company.
“Let us be patient and very supportive. On some of the concerns that were raised, I would passionately plead that where we see that we are not being realistic, let us be ready to reconsider our stand in decision making, so that together we will be able to support this mining company,” she said.
Mrs Bamie maintained that cooperation among residents, the mining company and relevant institutions would be necessary to address community concerns and ensure that development opportunities benefited affected households.
She commended stakeholders for their participation in the public hearing and described the engagement as successful.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Bulinga-Zongoiri
