Miner Azumah Resources a threat to security in Upper West
The operations of Azumah Resources Limited, a gold mining company at Cherekpong, in the Nadowli District of the Upper West region, has been identified as a threat to the peace and food security of the people of the area
The people were not aware of the project and therefore are not involved in any process that would capture their concerns in its design and implementation.
Members of the Cherekpong community said the hazardous effects of mining activities on their health and livelihood would be seriously undermined and wants to bring the situation to the attention of the government.
These were contained in a communiqué issued at Wa by stakeholders, at the end of an interface meeting of the Upper West Regional chapter of the Ghana Network for Peace.
The quarterly interface meetings provides the opportunity for stakeholders to learn and share experiences as well as identify some security threats in the region and recommend possible solutions.
Other issues that were seen as potential threat to peace in the region were pilfering and day light robbery in the Wa Municipality, gambling and snooker games in the Municipality, chieftaincy disputes, multiple sales of lands, bush burning and domestic fires.
The communiqué called on the Regional Coordinating Council and the security agencies to take steps and arrest the criminal gangs that were operating in the Wa Municipality and ban the activities of the snooker operators in order to save the children from stealing and gambling.
On the multiple sales of lands, they urged the regional lands department to streamline the proper acquisition of lands to avert such happenings and document the sale of lands in the region properly to save the situation.
Source: GNA
i must say i am highly pleased by the bold step taking by our stakeholders to ensure that the lives and livelihood of our people are not at stake depite the blessings the mining will have for us and the nation at large. i was surprised by tthe kind of answers some allies at nadowli gave me when i was making some enqueries about the said exploration company. it appeared that the people (even the educated youth) were unconcerned and knew nothing about their operations. i therefore egde the youth to wake up from thier slumbers and research into the benefits and dangers associated with mining, taking some mining communities(eg Oduasi, Tarkwa) as base reference.
i also entreat the assemly to educate our farmers on how the company may be attempted to use attracking sums of money to convince them in the view of compensating for their farm lands. the proper channel of compenstions should be ensured. i make reference to a community call New Atuabo in Tarkwa.
people with knowlege and experince in mining from the region should be called on board to make thier contributions.
More strength to eyour elbows in your course.