Residents of Nsonsomea in arms against planned mining operations in the community

Correspondence from Bono Region:

Residents of Nsonsomea, a farming community in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region, have barred their teeth against a planned mining activity in the area.

The residents said the move, if allowed to take place, will deprive them of their livelihood as many of them are farmers and depend on the land to survive.

They argue that mining activities in several communities in the country have proven disastrous and so they are worried that mining in the area will have similar effects on their fertile farmlands which they have been surviving on for years.

According to the residents, most of the people in the area are cashew farmers so any attempt to introduce mining in the community will destroy these farms which will have dire consequences for them.

A Unit Committee Member for the Nsonsomea Electoral Area, Okrah Charles told GhanaWeb that the community has stated that they do not want any mining activity in the area because of its attendant problems.

He avers that they prefer their cashew to gold on any day and the decision to kick against plans by Strategic Company Limited to engage in mining in the Nsonsomea community is non-negotiable.

“We are aware of mining and its related effects in many communities that is why we have taken that decision. Our message is simple, we don’t want mining in this community.”

However, the District Chief Executive for the Jaman North District, Honourable Adane Ankomah, in a phone interview with GhanaWeb disclosed that Strategic Company Limited has the necessary documents and has even engaged leaders in the community on several occasions.