Sefwi residents in the three traditional areas of the mining zone namely, Chirano, Anhwiaso and Wiawso have petitioned the Chirano Kinkross Gold Mines Limited over what they see to be an unfair treatment and injustices meted out by the Company on the sefwi natives on April 8, 2021.
The people of Sefwi are taking this actions due to the activities of the mining company which has taken an ugly turn on their natural resources and environment. Also, to what they claim, as the natives of Sefwi losing everything and being exploited economically for the companies own personal gains.
In this case, the opinion leaders of Sefwi Land presented 5 demands before the Kinross Chirano Gold Mines Limited to be met if they wanted to continue their operations on their land:
First, They demanded the split of Community Relations from the Human Resource office, both to be manned and headed by a sefwi to properly communicate, propel and respect the culture and way of life of the indigenes.
Secondly, the want most of the employment opportunities to be given to the Sefwi indigenes and most of the contracts by the company to awarded to the people of the land instead of people outside the jurisdiction of their land.
Also, they demand the full disclosure on the tonnage of gold mined per annum for the past four years, declared profits for the years under review and details of royalties paid to the government of Ghana and its corresponding annual grant rents, paid to the owners of the land and Paramount Chiefs. They believe this information will help erase doubt in the widespread rumour lingering in the space that they under declare tonnage of gold minded in order to pay the right royalties to the government and “Nananom”.
Furthermore, they also want to implore the office for as a matter of urgency, demand the payment of outstanding crop compensation to all affected households and land owners as well as the corresponding proof of the mode of calculation.
Lastly, the Sefwi opinion leaders will like to know if Kinkross Chirano Gold Mines Limited is indeed complying with the Minerals and Mining Regulations 2012 L.I 2182 and also Standard Mineral right agreement because of the way the Ankobra river is quickly losing it viability and natural life. An entire water body that serves that entire Sefwi people is no more safe for drinking neither can it harbour aquatic life.
Opinions leaders of the land are mostly saddened by the depletion of their natural resources which have affected them badly and don’t know if the company has any plans of restoring it back to normal and if the government of the Ghana is aware of what is going on their land
