Thousands of diamond workers face unemployment

Akwatia, Oct. 22, GNA - The people of Akwatia are bracing up for a big shocker following the temporary closure of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Limited (GCD) three weeks ago.

This time GCD's tributer system, which has about 700 registered members who legally mine for diamonds, is also facing imminent closure. The system gives employment to about 30,000 people from all over the country and if the threatened cessation of the system comes on, it would deepen the plight of the people of Akwatia who are yet to recover from the blow suffered as a result of the closure of GCD.

Those in the tributary mining system said the authorities had told them their operations would be grounded by the end of October. A GCD source has confirmed the decision.

Alarmed by this the tributers and workers in the system descended on the Akwatia palace yesterday to plead with the Akwatiahene, Osabarima Kofi Boateng II and his elders, to intervene on their behalf to have the decision rescinded.

Their spokesman, Mr David Tete, said the closure of the tributer system would create unemployment for about 30,000 people at a time the government was helping to create employment for the youth. He appealed to the government, the Board and Management of GCD to reverse the decision to halt the operations of the tributer mining system.

Mr Tete said they operated in mined out areas that did not affect the GCD reserve lands.

He said the stoppage of the operation would affect economic and social life of Akwatia and other nearby towns and villages and would increase illegal mining and other criminal activities in the area. "We are therefore appealing to the government and the authorities to give a second thought to the closure and sustain the tributer mining industry to avoid further hardship in the area.''

Osabarima Kofi Boateng assured the tributers that every effort would be made to ensure the continuity of the system to sustain their livelihood.

He appealed to them to exercise patience while their problem was being sorted out with the authorities to find a solution.