[ 2012-03-10 ]

Govt proposes establishment of national CSR Settlement Committee
Chirano (W/R), March 10, GNA – Mr Mike Hammah,
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has said
it is the intension of Government to establish a
National Resettlement Management Planning
Committee to ensure that activities of mining
companies are strictly regulated to promote speedy
socio-economic development.

He said additionally, a Mineral Development Fund
would be instituted to mobilize additional
financial resources besides the royalties, to
undertake development projects to improve the
living standards of the people.

Mr Hammah made these known at a separate meeting
with officials of Chirano Gold Mines and the
chiefs and people of Paboase, Etwebo and Akoti in
the Western Region over the weekend.

The Minister together with his counterpart for
Environment, Science and Technology, Madam Shirley
Ayittey, were at the company to mediate on the
impasse between the youth in the communities and
officials of the mining company.

The youth have petitioned the government over lack
of employment and social infrastructure by the
mining company in-spite of the promise made to
them before the company was permitted to start
operations in the area.

This has led to frequent agitations and occasional
confrontations by the youth against the operations
of the mine in the area.

The meeting of the Ministers was therefore, to
listen to both sides and discuss the issues to
find a lasting solution to promote peace and
harmonious co-existence in the mining site.

Mr Hammah said government was putting in place
effective measures to ensure that mining
contributed significantly to the socio-economic
development of communities, especially those in
mining areas adding that there was the need for
mining companies to give most of their support
services contracts to local contractors in their
operational areas as a means of promoting equity
and harmonious relationship.

Madam Shirley Ayitey said there was the need for
the Chirano Gold Mine to design innovative ways to
give the youth in the area skills training and
employment.

She said this will help promote a stable social
environment to ensure the sustainability of the
operations of the mine.

Mr John Seward, the General Manager of Chirano
Gold Mine, said the company has been providing
some social intervention programmes for the people
in the communities and these included the
provision of school and health infrastructures,
water and sanitation, skills acquisition and
employment for the youth in the area.

Nana Frimpong Manso Ababio, Chief of Paboase, said
the company has not fulfilled most of the promises
made to the people before it started operations in
the area and called on the company to establish
vocational training centre for the youth in the
area, expand the only clinic in the area and
rehabilitate their road network for them.

Nana Frimpong Ababio called on the government to
strive to identify the needs and aspirations of
the people in a proposed mining area and
incorporate them in the terms and agreements to be
signed by both sides, before permits are granted
to companies to start operations in those areas.

Source - GNA

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