We’re over 84 members and not 21!—Concerned Farmers tell Newmont

The claim by Newmont that membership of the Concerned Farmers Association, Terchire is twenty-one (21) has incurred the displeasure of the group.

Newmont in a media release dated September 13, 2023, in response to reports of arrest of some members of the Concerned Farmers Association, Terchire in relation to its Ahafo North Project, alleged that those farmers were 21.

However, addressing a press conference in Terchire in the Tano North District, which is host to Newmont Ahafo North Project on Tuesday, September 26, Bismark Oduro Mensah, who acted as the Spokesperson for the group, emphasised that membership of the Association was over eighty-four (84) and not 21 as being bandied around by the mining company.

He said all these 84 members of the association either owned or occupied lands in the Tano North District.

He also denied the statement by Newmont in its media release that members of the Association were “uncooperative” and that they had rejected the outcome of the negotiations and subsequently declined enumeration of their farms and structures, despite extensive engagement and mediation efforts.

“Although the Government published its intention to acquire land compulsorily in the affected communities in June 2023, there hasn’t been any assessment or enumeration of crops/properties by the Lands Commission and the affected farmers to arrive at compensation amounts for the affected farmers,” he stressed.
 
The destruction of these lands, according to Mr Oduro Mensah, will leave the farmers with no basis to demand for compensations, hence Newmont’s deliberate disregard for the laws of the land concerning land acquisition processes. 

He said members of the association were law-abiding and responsible citizens who have made substantial investment on their farms over the years.

“…as such, we will always employ all lawful and legitimate means to protect our investment from any wanton destruction, while demanding respect for our rights and under the laws of Ghana notwithstanding the intimidation, harassment and bullying from Newmont and its agents,” he affirmed. 

On the matter of court orders, Mr Oduro Mensah said Newmont has resorted to peddling lies. While refraining from commenting on the matter which was before the Circuit Court, Duayaw Nkwanta, he said Newmont disrespected the court by issuing a false statement to the effect that the court directed the accused persons not to go to the mining area until the final determination of the trial.  

“We have a certified true copy of the court proceedings from that day in our possession, and there was no such order from the Court. The Court's directives dealt with admitting the accused to bail. The court did not make a determination on whether or not the land in issue is a mining area. Newmont’s claim that the Court ordered the accused to refrain from going to their farms or mining area/concession is false, and an afterthought by the company to justify the arrest and detention of four other members of the Association on September 6, 2023,” he told the press.

He said this blatant untruth and ‘prejudicial statement’ by Newmont shows the mining company's disdain for not just the court's orders, but also for the judiciary, Ghana’s state institutions and the laws of the country. 

According to Mr Oduro Mensah, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) wrote to Newmont to undertake a Land Parcel Survey to identify the respective boundaries of land owners and lawful occupiers of land whose lands will be adversely impacted by the Ahafo North project.

“This decision was reached because the Concerned Farmers Association have about 84 members who own or occupy lands within the Tano North District,” he clarified.

He said the identification of the lands that would be impacted by Newmont’s activities would serve as basis for further engagement with the affected farmers.

“Instead of abiding by this decision, the company rather communicated to the members of the affected group that they would rather conduct a full built assets survey i.e. comprising enumeration of all farm properties and structures on one’s land. This was vehemently refused by members of the Association as it wasn’t the decision reached with the Minister’s representatives,” stated Mr Oduro Mensah.

However, he said members of the association vehemently rejected the full-built assets survey by Newmont.

“Till date the company hasn’t conducted this land parcel survey to identify and inform which of our member’s land will be impacted by their mining activities but they have rather resorted to the practice of entering onto our members’ lands and destroying their farm properties without their consent,” he lamented.

Interestingly, Mr Oduro Mensah indicated that to date the four persons of the association who were arrested on September 6, 2023, and detained for two days by the Duayaw Nkwanta District Police, have no inkling of their offence(s).

“Upon being granted police enquiry bail on 8th September, 2023, Mr John Mensah’s approximately sixteen (16)--acre teak farm which he sought to protect from destruction had been cleared by the mining company. Clearly the company used his arrest and detention period as an appropriate means to destroy his teak farm,” he noted.

He made it clear that none of the arrested persons including John Mensah whose farm properties were destroyed by Newmont consented to giving his or her land/crops out or negotiated any amount as compensation for Newmont to take over their lands. 

Mr Oduro Mensah recounted that somewhere in June 2023, the government declared its intention to compulsorily acquire some lands in the Tano North District for mining and other related uses. 

“While government has started a process towards compulsorily acquiring some of the lands belonging to some members of the Concerned Farmers Association, no such lands as we write have been compulsorily acquired yet for the mining operations of Newmont in accordance with law. 

…However, workers and agents of Newmont have entered onto lands belonging to some members of the Concerned Farmers Association and destroyed their farm properties. Although the Government published its intention to acquire land compulsorily in the affected communities in June 2023, there hasn’t been any assessment or enumeration of crops/properties by the Lands Commission and the affected farmers to arrive at compensation amounts for the affected farmers,” he underscored.