The woes of Newmont Ghana Ltd are deepening as Land owners at Akyem Kotoku in the Birem North District planned to hit the streets on Tuesday, July 24 to demand their rights in compensations due them for their lands.
Spokesperson of the land owners, Mr. Ntiamoah Denkyira, Newmont Ghana disclosed that, after suspending their earlier demonstration to make way for mediation, it appears the only option left now is a massive demonstration to press home their demands for proper compensation.
“We were hoping to come to an amicable settlement of the matter through dialogue and mediation but it appears Newmont wants to take advantage of the situation to shortchange us,” Mr. Denkyira disclosed.
“We are going on a three-day demonstration to press home our demands for compensation for our land and crops destroyed to pave way for Newmont to operate. They have given us only a year and we need the remaining fourteen (14) extra years,” he stated.
The compensation packages for the land owners, who are mostly farmers, indicate that, for an acre of land, each landlord had six hundred Ghana Cedis (GHC600.00) an equivalent of about one hundred and thirty United States Dollars (USD130.00).
The compensation package for each acre of cocoa was seven thousand and two hundred Ghana Cedis (GHC7,200.00) or about one thousand and five hundred United States Dollars USD1500.00; an acre of citrus is four thousand and two hundred Ghana Cedis (GHC4,200.00) or about nine hundred United States Dollars (USD900.00) and same for an acre of palm trees.
The landlords claim the amount was to cover a year’s compensation for the destruction of the crops for a project that would last 15 years and land and crops that have become irrecoverable for life due to the massive destruction to the land for mining.
The residents also claim Newmont failed to employ the youth of the area as part of its promises and commitment to the community.
Numerous houses in the area have developed cracks as a result of blasts in the mines that rendered the buildings risky for the residents.
The Three-day demonstration, according to the residents, would surely come on without fear as the Police have been notified.
Newmont Ghana Ltd has been under fire at its operational area in Akyem for alleged exploitation and failed promises.
Source: PROSPER AGBENYEGA