Ineffective mining laws creating environmental problems

Tarkwa (W/R), Aug. 11-GNA- There is no system of enforcing mining laws effectively and this has allowed mining companies to carry out human right abuses in the mining communities. Professor Attah Britwum, Lecturer Department of French University of Cape Coast who made this observation said the government has a responsibility of setting up an effective regulatory framework within which the mining companies should operate. The Lecturer said the issue of paying commensurate compensation alone plunges the land owners into more poverty, let alone depriving the people of their farmlands.

He said there was the need to sensitize the public on the impact of mining in host communities. Professor Britwum paid a glowing tribute to Ghanaian Journalists for bringing to the fore a devastating issues on the environment being carried out by mining companies. He said this at the opening of a four-day national workshop for Journalists, Media personnel and community representatives on mining laws, mining impact and legacies at Tarkwa. The workshop was organized by Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) and sponsored by Oxfam America an international Non Governmental Organisation (NGO). It was to strengthen the capacity of the media and communities to ensure accountability of government on safeguarding human and environmental rights of host communities. It was also to make media personnel to develop working relations with affected mining communities in the country. Professor Britwum said gold is not renewable and by destroying the land the livelihood on those who lived on it would be at stake after mine closure.

He regretted that the mining companies are carrying out a lot of human rights abuses but they go scot-free, citing dogs biting Ghanaians and some sustaining gun short wounds. Mr. Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Director, WACAM, said there was the need to assess the investment that had attracted 70 per cent of all Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into the country and had been slated to have the potential of developing the country. Meanwhile, he said, investment into the extractive sector has attracted a lot of criticisms and hard feelings form many quarters including government officials, trade unionists, communities that suppose to benefit from such investments and NGOs. He said invertors are "raping Ghana" in the name of development and called for advocacy and agents of change to make information sharing and dissemination to the public for the public to assess the impact of investment made.