A GOOD BEGINING, NEWMONT

Mining operations have contributed immensely to the country’s development, although these activities have also degraded our environment.
In some communities, mining has deprived the people of their lands for agricultural activities and polluted their sources of drinking water.
In communities such as Akwatia, some houses are ‘hanging’ due to illegal mining popularly called ‘galamsey’.
These illegal operators have not spared the educational institutions in such towns nor the water bodies, which have thus been polluted. The activities of these illegal operators have stalled investments in the mining sector.
For these reasons, some Ghanaians have given mining a bad name in order to hang it because of the bane of under-development in the mining communities.
Indeed, the spectacle in any mining town such as Tarkwa, Prestea, Akwatia and those in the Ahafo area is so awful that one is tempted to rethink further investment in mining.
The wealth that is generated from the minerals in those areas does not reflect in the physical outlook of the communities. Their lands are degraded, water sources polluted, there is high unemployment, poverty is endemic, while the people are subjected to inconveniences resulting from all kinds of diseases, major among them being water-borne diseases and malaria.
The picture, however, is not all negative. Some of the companies venturing into the sector are demonstrating that mining companies can be good corporate citizens.
The decision by Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd operating in the Ahafo Mine in the Brong Ahafo Region to present a cheque for $875,000 towards the development of 10 communities within the operational area of the company, which presentation took place at Ntotroso in the Asutifi District, points to a progressive outlook.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is aware that communities in the Ahafo Mine area protested against the take-over of their arable lands for the mining operations.
In the midst of the protests, Newmont took pains to explain to the people that while it was trying to maximise profits, it would not take the concerns of the people for granted.
The communities were only taking a cue from the harsh realities in others where the mining operations were not very beneficial, to bargain for added benefits from Newmont.
The preparedness of Newmont to dialogue with the people has paid dividends.
The DAILY GRAPHIC commends Newmont and the communities in which the mining operations are taking place for making sure that proceeds from gold impact positively on the lives of the landowners.
We encourage other mining companies to emulate Newmont and the Ahafo communities so that mining would reflect the needs of the people for clean water, and sustainable development.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also reminds the Ghana Chamber of Mines that the only way to give meaning to the theme of its 80th anniversary, ‘Life Without Mining Is Impossible’ is to make sure that the negative effects of mining are reduced to the barest minimum.
While we condemn big companies for the lack of corporate governance in their dealings with communities where they are located, we also call on illegal miners to stop their activities to save the land and also not to pollute water bodies.
The time has come for the government to formulate pragmatic policies to guide the mining sector in order to sustain the environment and protect the heritage of the people.