Adamus clashes with residents over gold exploration

The Chief and people of Nkroful in the Western Region have once again reiterated their resolve to resist attempts by Adamus Mining company to re-settle residents at Nkroful for exploratory activities.

Backed by the Nkroful Small Scale Miners Association at a news conference over the weekend at his palace, the chief said the land acquired by Adamus Mining Company Limited is approximately 10 meters away from his palace behind which Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah was originally buried.


Nana Kweku Gyebi, Secretary to Nkroful Chiefs accused Adamus company limited "for using covert and overt means to dispossess" them of their land.


He also accused the Western Regional Coordinating Council and National Security for conniving with the company to deprive them of their birth right. He noted that the site is the mainstay of the local economy.


"Now that site anybody who goes there will realize that it is the mainstay of the local economy. Whether we can educate our children, whether we can build decent houses for ourselves, whether we can blaze the trail of modern industrial development as enunciated by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who is the son of Nkroful".


Adamus Resources Limited is the Ghana-based subsidiary of Endeavour Mining Corporation.

It completed the resettlement of 2,200 residents of communities at Salman Village near the company’s Nzema Gold Mine. The project cost $29 million. The company began full scale production in the Nzema area in April 2011 and produced 109,447 ounces during 2012.


Exploration is currently underway to explore additional oxide resources with the objective of increasing mine life. This attempt to expand operations has brought them into direct clash with residents in the area.


The Secretary to the Chiefs said "I don't think if gold was found near the white house, the United States will allow that gold to be mined".


Some residents showed passionate disapproval of attempts by Adamus to relocate them. One resident said "even the whole African continent have recognized Nkrumah and built a statute at Addis Abba...yet the nation want to relocate Nkrumah".


The youths further pledged their support to the decision of the chiefs.