Activities of illegal miners discourage company

Azumah Resources Ghana Limited, an Australian gold exploring company operating in the Upper West Region, says activities of small-scale illegal miners, is discouraging it from investing 200 million dollars in developing its Wa Gold Project.

The company has so far invested 80 million dollars in the project, which was granted the sole right by the Ghana Minerals Commission, to explore and mine for gold in the Nadowli-Kaleo District and Danyorkura and Jongfiang in the Wa East District.

Mr. Vitus Ngaanuma, Community Relations Manager of Azumah Resources Ghana Limited, who briefed the GNA on the operations of the illegal miners, said the project would generate considerable revenue for Ghana and create more employment for local region, but expressed worry about the activities of small-scale illegal miners who had invaded the concessions.

He said management of the company had reported the activities of the illegal miners at Danyorkura and Jongfiang to the Wa Police, especially the threat issued to the company’s workers whilst on duty there recently.

The Community Relations Manager said in March this year, the company also reported the presence of heavy duty machines, such as excavators and bulldozers to the Wa Police.

Mr. Ngaanuma said those equipment were impounded and the operator was arrested, but two days later, the same operator was found with the machines operating at the site

He appealed to stakeholders to help stop the illegal mining activities on the concession, to reduce the incidence of deaths in the pits, and the widespread poisoning of water sources and environmental degradation within the communities.