Farming Communities Say No To Gold Mining

Goaso (B/A) Jan. 29, GNA - The people of Fianko and surrounding farming communities in Asunafo North Municipality in Brong Ahafo have petitioned against a proposed gold mining activity in the area by Keengan Company Limited, a Kumasi-based mining firm. The other communities are Nfama, Subriso, Gyasikrom, Drobakrom, Kwamekrobo and Fokuokrom.

In a petition to the Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Abubakar Bonsu copied to other stakeholders in the Municipality, signed by 10 opinion leaders said cocoa farming was their major source of livelihood. They contended that yielding to the exploration activity by the company would mean a denial of their income and would jeopardize their lives as well as the future of their children. Nana Awuah, Akyeamehene of Fianko, told the GNA in an interview "it will be suicidal for our farms to be destroyed by the mining activity as our entire lives have depended on them, no matter the compensation that will be paid to us".

One of the farmers, who did not disclose his name, disclosed that the mining company had already made identification marks on the cocoa trees and this had kept them pondering over the issue daily. He appealed to the government to come to their aid so that they would not be deprived of their source of livelihood.

When contacted on the phone, Mr Kyei Baffour, Public Relations Officer of the mining company, explained that officials of the company and the MCE had already met with and "explained things" to the people. He said the company was "only doing exploration now" and did not even have the mining licence so the people should not entertain fears that their farms would be destroyed. "We don't have funds now as our investor partners have withdrawn from the exploration field. We can't mine now because we don't have the mining licence", the PRO said.