Australian company to start gold mining in Upper West Region of Ghana
Large scale gold mining may start in the Nadowli District of the Upper West Region in 2012.
The project, which would be the first of its kind, would be undertaken by Azumah Resources Limited, an Australian Mining Company that had been prospecting for gold in the region for sometime now.
Mr Emmanuel Kofi Acquah, a Senior Consultant at SAL Consult Limited, said this at a community sensitisation forum at Tangasia on Tuesday.
The forum was organised to collect concerns and suggestions as well as know about the worries of community members where the project was going to be implemented.
It also formed part of the environmental impact assessment report of the upcoming mining project which would be presented to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before permit would be provided for Azumah to start operating.
Mr Acquah said he was happy that members of the community were in favour of the project and described their response as “a win-win situation”.
Naa Adam Yenli, Regent of Tangasia, said not many people in the community knew about Azumah but said the exercise had allayed their fears, worries and concerns.
He said the project would help improve livelihoods of the people and assured the company of their co-operation and the smooth implementation of the project to enhance development of the community.
Naa Yenli appealed to the company to consider providing them with good roads, a medical facility, good schools and a scholarship package for students from the community.
Also, the company should provide the people with an irrigation dam for dry season farming and livestock production to help curb migration of the youth in the area.
Some of the women, who spoke to the GNA, complained that their husbands’ farm lands and areas they use to go and pick Sheanuts and fetch firewood had been taken away from them.
They therefore appealed to the company to sustain them with micro assistance to empower them economically and socially to improve their living standards.
Similar forums were organised at Charikpong, Sampina and Saan which fell within the concession area of Azumah. Azumah has also acquired concessions at Jenfia and Danyawkuro in the Wa East District for gold mining.
Source: GNA