Group calls for amendment of Minerals, Mining Acts

Group calls for amendment of Minerals, Mining Acts
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, May 21, Ghanadot - A GROUP calling itself Concerned Farmers of Adansi and Amansie has called for an urgent amendment of the current Minerals and Mining Acts that was passed in 2006.

According to the group, the law as its stands now does not address the needs of poor marginalised communities, where mining took place.

Speaking to journalists in Obuasi, the oldest goldmining town in West Africa, Mr. Anthony Ekyem, who acted as spokesperson said they have been affected by the operations of Anglo Gold Ashanti, Obuasi mine and asked government to compel the company to be sensitive to the plight of host communities.

“In connection with this, we call on government to initiate an urgent amendment of the current Minerals and Mining Act that was passed in 2006. The law as it stands now does not address the needs of poor marginalised communities. It is more of a promotional document for mining companies operating in the country”.

The group further called on the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to implement the recommendations contained in the state of Human Rights in Mining Communities in Ghana Report 2008, “so that people like Awudu Mohammed and little Sandra Sarpong can get justice for the atrocities they and their relatives have suffered”.

The group again called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “to release the report on its investigations into the pollution of River Fena that they conducted as quickly as possible. As we speak, the EPA claims it has forwarded the report to Obuasi. We however do not know which institution in the town received the report. We smell something fishy so they should give us a copy of the report”.

Whiles congratulating the new Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi and District Chief Executive of Amansie Central, they appealed to them “to be more sensitive to the needs of poor community people like us”.