Community protest against Solar Mining Company

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday December 1, 2010
Concerned citizens of Saamang, a farming community near Osino in Akyem Abuakwa area of the Eastern Region say the activities of Solar Mining Company are threatening the existence of the village.

It has therefore made a passionate appeal to the government to stop the activities of the mining company which according to them, have already deprived the people of their livelihood.

A protest letter, dated November 8, 2010 and titled: “Petition against Solar Mining Company’s operations,” which was signed or thumb printed by over 60 community members and sent to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda said “as far we know, the company is operating illegally without acquiring the necessary legal documents like Environmental Permit since the communities have not been involved in any environmental impact analysis process of the company.”

“The illegal operation of Solar Mining is destroying the environment and polluting water bodies as well as our sources of livelihood,” they claimed.

They said the company has constructed a dam on the headwaters of River Anoma and the company’s operations are polluting River Akosu.
“These two rivers serve as the source of drinking water for the people of Saamang, Juaso, Osino and other surrounding villages.”

The petitioners said the company had made two previous attempts to divert River Akosu but they resisted it, adding “Currently, the company is constructing a bridge over Akosu and would divert Akosu after the construction of the bridge.

“The company has no environmental permit to construct dams and bridges to undertake the diversion of rivers. We had informed the EPA about the attempts of the company to divert the rivers but the company is bent on going ahead with the construction.”

The petitioners claimed that the company has employed hefty looking men (Macho men) who are all armed with sophisticated weapons which they use to intimidate anybody who attempts to challenge the company.

“For instance, the armed security of Solar Mining Company threatened to shoot five residents of Saamang in April 2010 when the community people decided to remove pipes that the company had installed in river Akosu which prevented the free flow of the river thus causing frequent flooding of community farms.”

The petitioners claimed that the areas had never experienced flooding prior to the construction of the pipes and when they attempted to remove the pipes armed security personnel of Solar Mining molested Akyea Mensah and Kwabena Abrokwah and threatened to shoot Kyenkyenku Gyeatuo and four others.

“Solar Mining Company, which is undertaking illegal operations had in the past paid GH¢1,000 for an acre of cocoa when it destroyed the farms of the community people. The company is currently paying GH 2,000 for one acre of cocoa. The compensation paid by the company translates to about GH 2 to GH4 for one cocoa tree. “

They alleged that to gain the support of some Akyem Abuakwa chiefs, Solar Mining Company deducted 10 per cent at source from the paltry sum paid as compensation to affected farmers to the chiefs.

“This has impoverished many cocoa farmers in the area who have lost their farms to the illegal mining operations of Solar Mining Company and have nothing to live on.”

They appealed to government to immediately wade into the matter to avert the continuous destruction of the area and possible conflict.

The lead petitioners are Gyeatuo Kyenkyenku, Pastor Ofosu Agyei, Obeng Daniel, Akyea Mensah and Gideon Ofori.

The petition was also copied to Hani Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology; Ben Aryee, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Minerals Commission and Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister.