NGOs challenge Jonah on mining

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The National Coalition of Civil Society and Community Groups campaigning against mining in Ghana's Forest Reserves on Tuesday said they have never called for banning of mining in Ghana.

"We have not at any time called for mining to be banned nor are we aware that any other organisation, community or individual have done so."

The Coalition was reacting to a statement Dr Sam Jonah, Chief Executive of the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) made, accusing some NGOs that they had called for mining to be banned in the country.

A statement signed by 15 NGOs forming the coalition quoted Dr Sam Jonah for having told a dinner organised by a Rotary Club on November 1, this year, that "Mining is currently the second largest foreign exchange earner" and that "the industry is allegedly not making any contribution to the economy but is simply degrading the environment."

The statement quoted Dr Sam Jonah to have wondered how was it possible for the second highest foreign exchange earner not to make contribution to the economy beat his mind.

It said Dr Sam Jonah had said: "As usual these NGOs are not offering any alternatives for plugging the gaping hole in our national finances which will only worsen when the second highest foreign exchange earner is killed."

The Coalition said Dr Jonah's speech contained "several unnecessary generalisations that sought to reduce all other people, with the exception of himself, to caricatures."

They said one of the generalisations was his comments that some NGOs had called for the mining industry to be banned in Ghana.

The Coalition said, "We believe that Mr Sam Jonah missed a great opportunity when he chose to misrepresent other people's views instead of joining the substance of the discussion on mining and the national interest.

"We would expect the Chief Executive of AGC and the patriot he says he is, to engage in the debate by looking at the merits of the other side and not to make glib dismissive remarks, although they may make him look good to his audience."

The Coalition challenged Sam Jonah to publish any evidence he had to the contrary.

They said, "We make no apology for our views and our stand of which we have raised concerns about the net returns of minerals wealth, environmental destruction associated with mining, the human rights violations and the inadequacy of the national policy framework to address these issues.

"We have also expressed concern about the practices, behaviour and attitude of some mining companies and state institutions and officials to the concerns and interest of local communities who bear the direct adverse impacts of mining.

"The National Coalition of Civil Society and Community groups against mining in forest reserves have, in recent times, called on government to rescind its decision to permit mining in Ghana's forest reserves."

They said they have called for a proper debate about the value to Ghana of the cost of foreign direct investment in the mining sector and have reason and the statistics to believe that that might not be as attractive as they were made to believe.

"We have also called for a re-evaluation of the effect of mining on the total lives of affected communities after the radical liberalisation of the sector", the Coalition said.