Farmers affected by Newmont mine undergo training in mining laws

Modern Ghana | By Richard Kofi Boahen

Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), a civil society organisation, is holding series of community-level advocacy and training on Ghana’s mining laws and reforms on compensation and resettlement for hundreds of farmers whose farmlands have been affected by the operations of Newmont’s Ahafo mine.

The beneficiary farmers are drawn from Ntotroso, Ntotroso Resettlement Site, Gyedu, Wamahinso, Kenyase No.1, Kenyase No.2 and OLA Resettlement site in the Asutifi North district. The rest are from Adrobaa, Afrisipa, Terchire, Yamfo and Susuanso in the Tano North Municipality of Ahafo region.

Known as Power of Voices Project, the training programme began on February 1 and is expected to end on March 31 2023. It is being organised by LEG, in collaboration with Third World Network, a research and advocacy organisation based in Accra, with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Livelihood & Environment Ghana (LEG) is not-for-profit and non-governmental organization established in 2004 in Ahafo Kenyasi No.2 in response to the growing environmental threats and human rights violations resulting out of the operations of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.

Since 2004, LEG has been working to promote environmental sustainability, sustainable livelihoods, enhance training and support for deprived communities, promotion of community rights, mineral governance and general advocacy on social justice.

Its vision is to see a diverse environment free from all forms of impunity and able to support and enhance sustainable development and community livelihoods.

Third World Network-Africa, on the other hand, is a research and advocacy organisation based in Accra, Ghana that was established in 1994 under Ghanaian law as a non-profit company limited by guarantee.

It is the autonomous Africa section of Third World Network (TWN), an independent non-profit coalition of organisations and individuals engaged in advocacy on issues related to development, environment and North-South affairs.

Training objectives

The purpose of the training is to equip and empower people living in mining affected communities with relevant information about their rights on the mining laws and reforms regarding compensation payment and resettlement.

In addition, the training is to better position the affected farmers to negotiate for adequate, fair and prompt payment of compensation by Newmont Ahafo Mines. It is held under the theme “amplifying communities voices through awareness creation.”

Speaking during one the training sessions at Yamfo, Chief Executive Officer of LEG, Richard Adjei-Poku, explained portions of the 1992 constitution, Minerals and Mining Act 2006 (Act 703), Minerals and Mining (Compensation and Resettlement) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2175), and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to the farmers.

He was worried that as a result of the lack of knowledge of the country’s legal regime on mining and compensation, some mining companies cheat poor farmers when it comes to payment of compensation, especially on crops.

Deprivation of land

He accused Newmont Ghana Limited of only paying compensation on crops of the affected farmers without compensating for the deprivation of lands taken from their lawful occupiers.

Mr Adjei-Poku explained that the negative impact of mining activities on livelihoods go beyond the immediate benefits of the peanuts paid to the farmers under the guise of compensation, calling on the affected individuals to keep themselves abreast with the law and stand for their rights.

He told the farmers that they are not under any obligation to accept the compensation agreed upon by the Crop Negotiation Committee (CNC), usually constituted by Newmont to deliberate and arrive at the rates to be paid to farmers.

“You have every right to disagree with the outcome of the committee’s deliberations and engage the company one-on-one for a better rate. Most of you don’t know this and so they always take advantage of your ignorance and offer you anything they like,” Mr. Adjei-Poku stated.

He also called on regulatory authorities, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Minerals Commission and other allied agencies to build the capability of people living in affected mining communities to enable them demand their rights from companies that attempt to take undue advantage of them.

Some farmers, who spoke during the open forum, admitted that they had no knowledge about the country’s mining laws and regulation, hence their inability to properly negotiate for better compensations.

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