The Chief of Baare, Naab Nyakora Mantii, has denied allegations that the Talensi Traditional Council and Community Employment Committees (CECs) are selling recruitment slots to mining companies operating in the Talensi District.
He described the allegations as unfounded and challenged anyone with evidence of such transactions involving members of the traditional council or the employment committees to come forward.
Naab Mantii was speaking on behalf of the President of the Talensi Traditional Council, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang, when the Talensi Youth Parliament engaged Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (CNML) on the company’s recruitment processes and corporate social responsibility initiatives in the district.
According to him, recruitment opportunities allocated to communities are distributed according to quotas, with specific communities receiving slots meant for their residents.
He explained that when slots are allocated to the Traditional Council, the council is required to submit names of qualified persons, adding that the council has been advocating for greater employment opportunities for the youth.
He said the perception that the Traditional Council receives recruitment slots and sells them to job seekers was therefore misleading.
“People might think that they give you jobs, you sell them, and our boys don’t have jobs. What job is this?” he questioned.
Naab Mantii said the Traditional Council had also raised concerns about the recruitment of skilled workers, particularly electricians and equipment operators, explaining that the council had not been given opportunities to nominate people for some of the positions.
He cited an incident involving recruitment at Golden Dynasty, where two people from Talensi were invited for interviews without the knowledge of the community employment structures.
According to him, he and other traditional leaders intervened after receiving information about the recruitment exercise and engaged officials of the company.
He said the recruitment process was subsequently halted during their engagement, although he could not confirm whether the company later proceeded with the recruitment.
Naab Mantii also questioned the source of the workforce at the processing plant, saying the company had previously indicated that it expected to recruit between 200 and 300 people.
He said, however, that only about nine people had, to his knowledge, passed through the community employment committee and were subsequently engaged at Golden Dynasty, despite the plant already having a sizeable workforce.
“If you had told us the plant would recruit 200 to 300 people, and already you had about 200 or more people working in the plant, where are they coming from?” he asked.
He urged residents who have concerns about recruitment to approach the appropriate community structures for clarification instead of making allegations against traditional leaders.
“These are the concerns I expected people to always come to our office. Not to sit back and want to denigrate people. You know how far some of us have come. You just get up one day, you want to spoil somebody,” he said.
The Baare Chief further disclosed that the Talensi Traditional Council does not receive general grants from mining companies as some people may believe.
According to him, support received by the council from mining companies is tied to specific contracts and may cover periods ranging from two weeks to several months.
He said even traditional leaders themselves sometimes struggle to secure employment opportunities for their own relatives and community members when recruitment slots become available.
“I have asked the Biung Chief to see if he could give me one slot. He hasn’t been able to. So how can I be giving a committee and I’m begging to get my person in there?” he questioned.
Naab Mantii also criticised mining companies for allegedly conducting recruitment exercises without adequately informing the community employment structures.
He said the situation creates suspicion and eventually leads to traditional leaders being blamed for recruitment outcomes they have little control over.
He appealed to mining companies, including Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, to adhere to agreed recruitment procedures and ensure that opportunities intended for host communities pass through the appropriate structures.
He further urged members of the public to provide evidence if they believe recruitment slots are being sold.
“In this era, they are doing something evidence-based. You are accusing somebody of sharing slots. Come with your evidence,” he said.
Naab Mantii maintained that he would not object to genuine expressions of appreciation from beneficiaries who secure employment through the efforts of traditional leaders or community structures, but strongly denied demanding money from individuals in exchange for jobs.
“Anybody, whether coming from the community or not from the community, who has such fact against me, come out,” he challenged.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Tongo
