Prince Acquah
Krofu (C/R), June 28, GNA – The youth from the 12 communities affected by the proposed lithium mining project in the Mfantseman Municipality and Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District have bared their teeth at the mining company, Atlantic Lithium, over suspicions of deceit and exploitation.
They have vowed to obstruct the project if the promises of development made by the company were not fulfilled and their demands for employment and adequate compensations not met.
Pointing to the tattered state of some mining communities like Tarkwa in the Western Region and Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, the young men and women passionately insisted on their demands, stressing that they will not allow themselves to be taken for granted.
They made the demands when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Atlantic Lithium and its subsidiary, Barari DV Ghana Limited, met them at one of the affected communities, Krofu to present a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Ewoyaa Lithium Mining and Processing Project to solicit their feedback.
Thursday’s meeting was the second one with them this year after the EPA and the mining company first met them on Tuesday, February 13 at Ewoyaa to brief them on the project and solicit their concerns.
Demonstrating utmost interest in the project, the meeting was heavily attended by all 12 chiefs and people from the affected communities and three paramount chiefs from the two districts.
The mining project is expected to comprise construction and operation of mine pits, waste rock dumps, processing plant, tailing storage facility, workshops, and ancillary facilities.
Despite being their second forum, majority of the people the Ghana News Agency (GNA) spoke to did not understand the issues, including the benefits and impact of the project on them.
The GNA gleaned from separate conversations the erroneous impression that everybody in the communities will be employed when the project fully took off.
Some of them also complained about being reduced to menial workers at the preparatory stage of the project while non-residents worked in the offices.
When the time came for them to speak after presentations by EPA, Atlantic Lithium and Barari DV Ghana Limited, tempers flared as they exacted answers and assurances from the regulator and the company.
They reiterated their concerns on employment, land and crop compensations, resettlement, pollution of waterbodies and air with its attendant mining diseases and the promise of a hospital, security, among others.
“You said you will reclaim the lands and return them back to their original owners. We think you are deceiving us. Often, the land is given to the government, and it never gets back to the owners,” one of them said.
“My farm has been earmarked for destruction. How will I feed my family,” an old woman asked.
A broadcast journalist, Captain Smart, who hails from one of the affected towns, entreated the company and the EPA to be transparent and frank with the people about the implications of the mining project on them.
“Do not deceive us; it has serious health implications such as cancer, liver problems and miscarriages. Do you have health facilities to take care of the sick. Are you building a hospital for us and when?” he queried.
“What tests have been done about the air quality and what will be done to correct it when it is polluted?” he further asked.
He appealed to the chiefs to reject all forms of inducements and ensure they put the interest of their people first.
Meanwhile, Barari DV Ghana Limited, presenting portions of the EIS, assured the people that robust measures had been taken to reduce the negative impacts of the project including dust, noise, blasts, and water and air pollution.
Mr. Adam Ahmed-Salim, the General Manager of the company, promised to protect their cultural heritage and undertake the resettlement with dignity and respect.
He said the lands would be reclaimed at the project proceeded and the offices and warehouse might be handed over to the communities and assemblies.
He also reassured them of various developmental projects including schools, hospitals, and roads.
Mr. Ahmed-Salim pledged that the company would train some locals for the job and ask contractors to employ them but the minimum qualification for the training will be a Senior High School Certificate.
The Chiefs also allayed the fears of their people and assured them that they will not let their guards down.
Osagyefo Amanfo Edu IV, the Paramount Chief of Mankessim Traditional Area, indicated that they had read the report and found that all their concerns had been captured.
However, he called for the creation of a monitoring committee to keep track of the company’s activities to ensure they did not default.
For his part, Ing Ransford Sakyi, Deputy Executive Director of Operations, EPA, the communities to report any issue of noncompliance to the EPA to take appropriate actions against the company.
“In the unlikely event that there are some shortcomings, we will also intervene so that overall, this project will come off successfully and the benefit will be accrued to the Central Region, Mother Ghana and to the people within this project of influence,” he assured.
He assured that a baseline data including air and water quality in the area had been gathered to monitor the impact of the mining activities, adding that mitigation measures against such impacts had been documented in the environmental impact statement.
“For example, before they commence operation, we will do a health impact assessment and in any event that as the project goes on, there are foreign health issues that may be attributed to the project, then there will be the need to resolve and mitigate that,” he said.
GNA