There are calls for amendments of some aspects of the Minerals and Mining (Compensation and Resettlement) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2175) to make them responsive to the needs of people living in mining communities and the country at large.
The proposed amendments, when accepted, will enhance the quality of the regulations and contribute towards reduced incidence of violence and social conflicts, which are beneficial for the mineral right holder as well as the local and central government.
It will benefit the government, the mineral right holder, particularly beneficiaries of compensation from mining-induced displacement and resettlement.
Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), a Sunyani-based non-profit and non-governmental human rights and environmental organization, is pushing for these amendments with support from the Third World Network-Africa under the Power of Voices and Fair for All Project.
The Executive Director of LEG, Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku, told Rbnewshub.com that the current practice where mining companies make a one-term payment of compensation to farmers and landowners is counterproductive, saying: “the living conditions of most farmers who received one-term compensation from Newmont and other mining companies have worsened over the years.”
He advocated a lifetime compensation payment spread throughout the life of the mine, which he explained would be the best way out and advised farmers not to rush into accepting any offer by mining companies as compensation payment but engage the services of experts to ensure a win-win negotiation of a fair and an adequate amount of compensation to be paid.
Mr. Adjei-Poku said even though mining is supposed to improve the living conditions of people, not much can be said about mining communities in Ghana and most African countries and called for equitable share of development in all mining areas.
Story by Richard Kofi Boahen
Email: (rboahen2018@gmail.com or rbnewsh@gmail.com)
