By Dennis Peprah
Kenyasi Number Two, (A/R), Feb. 11, GNA – Dr Yaw Asamoah, a lecturer at the Geography Department of the University of Education, Winneba, has called for urgent resettlement of residents at Dampso and Yarogruma, farming communities around the Newmont Ahafo South mine to make schools easily and readily accessible to school going-age children in the area.
He said operations of the mine were affecting the education of school going-age children at the Newmont’s two ‘fence line communities’ and adjoining settlements in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.
Dr Asamoah, a researcher, made the call at a stakeholders meeting held at Kenyasi Number Two to disseminate findings of a research he conducted in the two mining communities.
WACAM, a civil society and human rights advocacy organization commissioned Dr Asamoah to conduct the research on the, ‘Mining induced displacement’s impact on children education: children of school going age in Newmont’s fence line communities in the Asutifi North District.”
Dr Asamoah regretted that about 104 school children at Dampso, Yarogruma and other settlements had to walk about 7.32 kilometres to attend school at Kenyasi, a situation which was affecting school enrolment, retention, and performance of the school children in the area.
He said though the mine had provided a bus, the drivers were not consistent in picking the school children to and from school, saying the situation was even worsened during the rainy seasons because of the deplorable nature of the roads in the area.
Dr Asamoah said the school children in the area also needed educational materials such as books, uniforms, school bags and scholarships to motivate them and sustain their interest in schools.
They also need chargeable lamps to study at nights, he said, saying the school girls ought to be provided with sanitary pads to improve personal hygiene.
Dr Asamoah also called on the Asutifi North District Assembly and the District Directorate of Education to collaborate and ensure that the three schools were enrolled on the school feeding programme for the children to benefit.
Reacting to the resettlement of the residents, Mr Emmanuel Ato Aubyn, the Social Responsibility Manager, Newmont Ahafo South Mine, said the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) had to conduct impact assessment in the communities, saying mine could therefore take any action based on the EPA’s findings.
Mrs Noami Asantewaa, the Asutifi North District Director of Education commended WACAM for the research, saying the directorate was working hard to ensure that the schools benefited from the school feeding programme.
Mr. Samuel Badu Baiden, the Asutifi North District Coordinating Director, hoped that all stakeholders in the area would collectively tackle the challenges and advised the residents to be patient.
Earlier, Mrs Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, the Executive Associate Director of WACAM, explained her organization started operations when exploration commenced in the area, saying operations of the mine had negatively impacted the affected communities.
GNA