Akufo-Addo to open Community Mining Programme in Gwira this month - Catherine Afeku

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency in the Western Region, Catherine Afeku has said President Akufo-Addo would cut sod for commencement of a Community Mining Programme in her area in November this year.

President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, did same at Wassa Akropong to officially launched the Community Mining Programme.

The Programme is aimed at formalizing mining in selected communities across the country.

With at least one community mine expected to be set up in each of the mining Districts in the country.

It is expected that the community mines, when executed judiciously, would provide employment for more than 4,500 miners that hitherto were engaged in illegal mining activities.

They have been trained by Government at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa in the Western Region to take up responsible mining instead of irresponsible mining as done in the past.

"This type of mining is going to replace the illegal mining popularly known as Galamsey and the proceeds from it would benefit the Districts, the communities of operation and the central government" she assured.

The youth of the Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency are in dire need of jobs, and this flagship programme is going to reduce the unemployment situation in the area.

The Programme is expected to be operational in five communities in the Constituency.

The five beneficiary communities are; Gwira Kutukrom, Gwira Banso, Gwira Eshiem, Gwira Bamianko and Gwira Tumantu.

Addressing the Chiefs of Adontihene Traditional Area of Gwira, the northern part of the Constituency in Accra, the Member of Parliament for the area who is also the Minister of State at the Office of the Senior Minister, Catherine Afeku disclosed that in November 2019, President Akufo-Addo would open the Community Mining Programme in five communities in the area.

She said the Programme would reduce growing unemployment situation in the area.

She applauded President Akufo-Addo for fulfilling his promise to regulate the mining industry activities to make it lucrative.

"This programme is going to make my Constituency very attractive, it is going to put money into the pockets of my teeming unemployed youth, I am very happy to announce that President Akufo-Addo in November this year will come to my Constituency, that is the Gwira area, to cut sod for commencement of the Community Mining Programme, I thank God and we are going to receive President Akufo-Addo nicely", she stated.

She therefore seized the opportunity to urge the Chiefs to support the Programme to last longer.

She also called on them to remember President Akufo-Addo in 2020 by voting massively for him as President and herself as the MP to develop the area.

Deplorable Road Network

Meanwhile, as the Member of Parliament, Catherine Afeku, has assured the Chiefs that very soon, a contractor assigned to construct a 34-km road from Gwira Aiyinasi to Gwira Wiawso would begin work on it and therefore appealed to them to exercise patience.

She admitted that the road network in the area was in a very deplorable state.

She said since 1974 no government has ever made any attempt to construct the road.

She, therefore, commended President Akufo-Addo-led government for cutting sod to construct the road in July 2019.

She disclosed to the Chiefs why the construction was delayed. She said government was yet to complete the procurement process.

She added that she was working hard to get the contractor to be on-site before arrival of the President in November.

On his part, the Chief of Adontihene Traditional Area, Nana Paley V, thanked the MP for the wonderful reception offered them.

He said this was the first time a sitting Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency invited Gwira Chiefs to Accra to fight for developmental projects.

The Chiefs pledged their total commitment to rally behind the Community Mining Programme.

He said the Programme was going to change their standard of living positively.

He said the land for the programme was ready waiting for the President to perform the sod-cutting ceremony.

On the road, the Chief appealed to government to expedite action on it. He said the project has been delaying unduly.

He said if the government was able to construct the road for them, they would openly campaign for the government in 2020 general elections.

He also used the opportunity to commend Catherine Afeku for lobbying to connect most of the Communities in the Gwira area with electricity.

"Through the help of Catherine Afeku, today we can use mobile phones because through her, we have telecommunication networks, she has also provided sheds for us, we thank her and encourage her to do more", he concluded.