Denu, Jan.31, – The West African
Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) - Ghana, has challenged stakeholders in the
extractive industry to endeavour to work together for harmony in the sector.
Mr Albert Yelyang, National
Network Coordinator of WANEP, said there were “co-benefits” in the industry and
underscored the importance of collaboration among the players to harvest those
yields.
He said this in an interview with
the GNA after a second dialogue on Voluntary Principles on Security and Human
Rights (VPS) in the extractive industry for stakeholders in the Volta Region at
Denu, Ketu South Municipality.
Mr Yelyang said a key area where
stakeholders needed to collaborate was the management of expectations from the
public to address grievances and avert possible violent conflicts.
Deadly conflict a year ago, between
Adina-based Seven Seas Salt Company (SSSC) and outlying communities who
vandalised company equipment, was the local case study for the VPs dialogue.
Eighteen representatives
including; traditional rulers, civil society groups, the police, Bureau of National
Investigations (BNI), the media, local mining groups, youth leaders and women
groups attended the dialogue session.
The session on the theme:
“Enhancing natural resource governance and community peace and security through
dialogue”, was to review threats identified in the first dialogue and possible
threats for solutions.
Mr Yelyang told stakeholders that
conflicts relating to the mining sector were largely perceptions and real
issues could be managed depending on the strategies used.
He said WANEP was implementing
the VPs project with support from US-based Fund for Peace (FFP) to complement
Government’s implementation programme of the VPS in mining areas.
Mr Yelyang commended the SSSC,
Government and the Communities for their commitment for peace so far, and noted
WANEP will be following up on the new government-proposed MOU on the project
and the survey by the Water Research Institute in the area.
The VPs is a multi-stakeholder
initiative comprising government, companies, communities, and non-governmental
organization that promote a set of principles that guide oil, gas and mining
companies including salt companies.
It guides companies in conducting
comprehensive human rights assessment in their engagement with public and
private sector providers to ensure protection of human rights in matters
regarding protection of company facilities and premises.
It builds capacity for
stakeholders on conflict management and provides an early warning tool on
potential conflicts.
A team of three Early Warning
Monitors were nominated and briefed to enhance the VPs platform in the area.
GNA
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