By Victoria Agyemang, GNA
Mankessim(C/R), Oct. 16, GNA – The Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL) has organised a two-day capacity-building workshop for community leaders and members to strengthen their understanding of mining laws, land rights, settlement processes and strategies for negotiating fair compensation in mining and renewable energy projects.
The workshop, held on October 9 and 10, 2026, aimed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to protect their communities’ interests and participate effectively in decisions concerning the development of critical minerals and renewable energy resources.
The training focused on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), community rights under Ghana’s mining laws and the ECOWAS Mining Directive, land rights and compensation, rights-based negotiation, and effective communication with mining companies and government institutions.
It also sought to strengthen community participation in consultations and promote transparent, inclusive and accountable governance in the critical minerals sector.
Participants were expected to gain a better understanding of the legal frameworks governing mining activities and the processes through which affected communities could engage companies and relevant authorities on land acquisition, resettlement and compensation.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of informed community participation in negotiations to ensure that the concerns and interests of affected residents were considered before decisions were made on projects affecting their lands and livelihoods.
Through rights-based negotiation, community representatives were expected to improve their ability to engage mining companies, assess compensation proposals and advocate for settlements that took account of the effects of project activities on their properties and sources of livelihood.
The training built on a Capacity and Knowledge Needs Assessment, which identified significant gaps in awareness and understanding of FPIC among community stakeholders, alongside strong interest in further capacity-building opportunities.
The CEPIL said the initiative formed part of efforts to promote FPIC and protect community rights in Ghana’s transition minerals and renewable energy development.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for participants to share experiences from previous consultations and identify practical measures to strengthen community participation and demand respect for their rights
Mr Augustine Niber, the Executive Director of CEPIL taking participants through the overview of minerals and mining laws advised them to be conversant with the laws to avoid being taken for granted by the mining companies.
He told them to seek answers from government through the laws when they were treated unfairly or unjustly.
Mr Kweku Afari , A legal practitioners also took them through access to justice, and where to seek help when the need be.
He called on stakeholders to continuously engage the communities to help them better understand responsible practices for them to seek justice when exploited.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/Benjamin Mensah