Obuasi (Ash), Dec 21, - The West
Africa Network for Peace Building (WENAP) has expressed concern about the
recurring confrontation and conflict between mining companies and the mining
communities.
Mr. Albert Yelyang, its National
Network Coordinator, said that was deeply disturbing and should not continue.
The companies should move quickly
to deepen their community engagement – participatory development practices, to
bring about transparency and promote good understanding.
He was speaking at a day’s
stakeholders conference on mineral resource governance held at the gold mining
town of Obuasi.
It was under the theme “Enhancing
natural resource governance and community peace and security through dialogue”
and brought together, miners, police officers, private security companies,
assembly members and civil society groups.
The programme was organized by
WANEP with support from the Fund for Peace.
Mr. Yelyang noted that confusion
between companies in the extractive industry and the communities, where they
had been operating often resulted from the failure to properly engage the
communities to address their felt needs and concerns.
He reminded everybody about the
need to accept to use dialogue to resolve whatever grievances they had.
“Violence is never the best
option in solving problems and should be rejected by all.”
He also called for proper
monitoring, accountability and transparency in the distribution of mineral
royalties.
He added that that it was
important that the people got to know how these royalties were being used.
He applauded the joint
military/police taskforce assigned the job of checking illegal mining for good
work it was doing and asked the officers to continue to remain professional in
the performance of their duties.
Deputy Superintendent of Police
(DSP) Abdulai Amadu, the Obuasi Municipal Commander, appealed to the people to
give strong backing to the security agencies to rein in illegal miners.
GNA
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