Obuasi MP given "Noko Fio Award"

Accra, Feb. 24, GNA - The Concerned Farmers Association of Teberebie (CFAT) has conferred the "Noko Fio Award" on Mr Edward Ennin, Member of Parliament (MP) for Obuasi, for being the mouthpiece of AngloGoldAshanti against the interest of the poor and voiceless people that elected him. "Noko Fio" in Ghanaian parlance is used to describe politicians, w= ho follow the money instead of the principles of upholding the interest of the people who elected them.

Those to share the award with him are the enemies of the poor, who wear the cloak of Parliamentarians, Chiefs and Assembly Members that hold nocturnal meetings with mining companies to collect contracts and monies to help them to kill their own people and pollute their environment.

These were contained in a statement issued by CFAT at a press conference it held at Teberebie to respond to an earlier one held on the 18th of February 2011 by Mr Ennin during which he blamed WACAM, a human rights and mining advocacy nongovernmental organisation, for nominating AngloGoldAshanti for the disgraceful 93Pubic Eye Award" in Switzerland. CFAT expressed dismay that Mr Ennin as an elected representative of the people had rather turned against the interest of those who elected him and had become the mouthpiece of a powerful multinational company. "Is the MP, who seeks to be the voice for the louder AngloGoldAsha= nti instead of his voiceless constituents like Dokyiwa, Binsere, Sanso, Akatakyieso and many more, aware of AngloGoldAshanti Iduaprim Mines' huma= n rights abuses and environmental destructions? It is shameful for the MP to jump onto the evil cart of disgrace."

"As somebody elected to represent the ordinary people, the first responsibility of Mr Ennin is to provide a voice for we, the poor people wh= o are being cheated by powerful people and big companies like AngloGoldAshanti. It is sad that Mr Ennin decided to be a mouthpiece for a company that has continuously abused the human rights of mining communities and polluted the environment," the statement said.

CFAT commended WACAM for bringing the atrocities of mining companies to the attention of the international community, saying, 93AngloGoldAshanti deser= ves to be the most evil company for 2011. We urge WACAM to nominate the company for the Award again since it has shown that it has not repented."

"In conclusion, we want to advise the young Obuasi MP to note that it was the people that elected him and not the company and so he should be circumspect in his public behaviour and not to act against the interest of Ghana. Yen ara Asaase ni." AngloGoldAshanti, second largest gold producer, won the "2011 Public Eye Award" for being the most irresponsible company in the world. Th= e award was conferred by Greenpeace and the Swiss-based Berne Declaration (BD), organisers of the 2011-Edition.

WACAM nominated AngloGoldAshanti. The award ceremony was held on Friday January 28, 2011 on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum - meeting of top business and political leaders in the Swiss Ski Resort of Davos.

A citation accompanying the award said; "our Global Award winner for 2011, AngloGold/Ashanti, the South African company's gold mining operation in Ghana contaminates soil and poisons people".