Community express mixed feelings over resettlement

Wassa Akosombo (W/R), Oct 25, GNA - A decision by Golden Star Resources Limited's Wassa mine to relocate Wassa Akosombo, a farming community near Ateiku in the Mpohor Wassa East District, has generated mixed feelings among the people some of whom complained about lack of basic amenities at the new site.

In all 52 households with a population of about 150 are to be resettled in order to pave way for an expansion project being undertaken by the company, based at Wassa Akyempim.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the village, some members of the community were packing to leave while others blatantly expressed their unwillingness to move out, citing distance from their farms and most importantly, lack of power and water at the new site. Kofi Adom, a resident told GNA he was happy to move to the new site but would miss his backyard garden which had provided him over the years with ingredients for food at home, adding that the new site had no space for a backyard garden.

Another resident, Hanna Kokay, said the mining company did not put the new place in order for safe habitation before asking them to move in, adding that the state of the site currently was dangerous for children to live in, so she would like to wait until she was satisfied that the place is safe.

Besides, Kokay said her family would have to walk a longer distance in order to fetch food.

The chief of the community, Nana Apem Odenke, said they had no option than to leave to pave way for the company's operation. However, he appealed to the company to install a corn mill at the new site for the community.

Nana Kwame Andoh, acting divisional chief of Manponse, expressed appreciation that the people did not violently resist the plan to resettle them, adding that he understood the concerns raised by some of the people.

=93It is not comfortable moving from one place to a new one,=94 he said and promised to dialogue with the mine to ensure that the people enjoy good standard of living at the new site. In an interview, Mr Paul Essah, Human Resources and Administrative Manager of GSR Wassa Mine, said the resettlement arrangement was transparent and that the community was involved in every aspect of the decision from the beginning.

He said two boreholes had already been sunk at the site and that more would be sunk, as population in the community grows. He said though it was not part of the agreement that the Mine would provide electricity, all the houses have been wired and electric poles erected, awaiting connection to be done under the Government's Self Help Electrification Programme.