Parliamentary Committee visits Newmont plant

Kenyasi (B/A), Aug. 12 GNA - The Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment and Science has commended Newmont Ghana Gold Limited for providing some social amenities to catchment areas of its Ahafo project in Brong-Ahafo.

The committee made the commendation when 10 of its 18 members, led by their vice chairman, Mr. Joseph Yaani Labik, visited the company's plant site at Kenyasi on Friday.

Mr. Randy Barnes, External Affairs Manager, Mr. Stephen Baffoe, Principal Communication Officer and Mr. James Badu, Environmental Manager, all of the Company, took turns to brief the committee members on Newmont's operations.

They included compensation processes, programmes for the vulnerable, environmental control structures, reclamation activities, livelihood enhancement and community empowerment programmes. The Parliamentarians visited some resettlement sites of the people affected by the mining operations.

Mr. Labik, who is the MP for Bunkrugu Yunyuu, expressed the hope that the company would continue to live up to its social obligations to widen the cordial relationship with communities in its catchments areas. He explained that even though environmental protection was a shared responsibility, there was the need for Newmont to focus attention on the health status of the people at its concession areas in order not to expose them to unnecessary dangers.

Mr. Barnes stated that it was the priority of the company to maximise local employment and create job opportunities for the youth in the area through skill and other artisan training. He said the company was committed to identifying, registering, assisting and tracking households deemed to be vulnerable due to the direct impact of the project.

The External Affairs Manager said his outfit had developed an agriculture improvement and land access programme consistent with its aim to restore and improve productivity of the local agriculture economy.

Mr. Barnes said the company had spent 80,000 dollars on water supply to the affected people, 60,000 dollars on aqua-privy sanitation units, 10,000 dollars in rehabilitating water boreholes and also donated computers worth 20,000 dollars to some institutions.

He said the company had resettled and relocated 805 buildings at the cost of 15.3 million dollars and compensated affected farmers and distributed food hampers at the cost of 15 million dollars. Mr Barnes expressed concern about expectations for employment and over-dependent on the mine as well as speculative activities among the local people.