SPECULATORS HAMPER NEWMONT OPERATIONS (PAGE 57)

The Management of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) operators of the Ahafo Mine in the Brong Ahafo Region, have expressed concern about the emergence of speculative structures on its mining concession by communities in its operational area.
It has described as alarming, the rate at which some people have within a short period put up structures on its duly acquired land for mining activities with the intention of collecting compensation.
Briefing newsmen about the situation the company was encountering at the mine site at Ntotroso in the Asutifi District, the External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Randy Barnes, said soon after the company declared the pit area of the Ahafo South lease portion as moratorium on June 18, 2008, the company counted about 400 structures whose owners were expecting compensation.
Mr Barnes said the people had decided to put up those structures while some had hurriedly started farming on various portions of the leased land, with the intention that they would be adequately compensated once the company declared that it was ready to mine in the areas they were farming.
Mr Barnes described as worrisome and frustrating, the way people speculatively built and farmed in mining concessions, a situation he said, was not peculiar to NGGL but other mining companies in the country.
“We came in with goodwill and started negotiations extensively with the various communities the government, agencies and all other stakeholders to address the problem but certain groups of people are manipulating the system to benefit themselves by putting up structures and farming on the land which frustrates the company,” he stated.
The External Affairs Manager indicated that in the past couple of years since the company started the Ahafo operations, the company had tried to build a very good relationship with the communities but “we still have people doing things which they shouldn’t be doing, to the detriment of our mutual benefit”.
He recounted the establishment of the Ahafo Social Responsibility Forum (ASRF), the Agricultural Improvement Land Access Programme (AILAP), the Ahafo Social Responsibility Agreement, the Vulnerable Programme for NGGL Ahafo Project Area and the setting aside of $1 per an ounce of gold sold by the company and one per cent of the profit from the mine, as some of the initiatives the company had undertaken to build a healthy relationship with the people.
According to Mr Barnes, the company had paid a total of $14million as compensation for crops which were affected during its operations between 2004 and 2006, adding that the company would not renege on its commitment and obligation to pay the necessary compensation to those who deserve it.
The External Affairs Manager said the company would only compensate those who had structures on the land before the moratorium declaration in accordance with the provisions of the 1992 constitution of Ghana and the new Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703) of 2006.
Quoting section 72(4) of the Mineral and Mining Law, Mr Barnes indicated that, in the case of a mining area, the owner or lawful occupier of the land within the mining area shall not erect a building or a structure without the consent of the minister.
He said the government had the right to minerals and wanted companies such as Newmont to come in to mine them and obtain profit for their mutual benefit.
The External Affairs Manager and other officials of the company led newsmen to various sites where some of the speculative structures had been put up.
At the Subriagya portion of the leased land, some farmers who claimed they had stayed there for three years now, alleged that the operations of NGGL was negatively affecting their lives and, therefore, appealed to the company to resettle them.