Western North: Mining activities has caused our community more harm than good since 1835. Chief vows.

The Chief of Bibiani Old Town, Nana Kwao Andor III has expressed his displeasure over how mining activities have affected their community and have made life unbearable for the youth after centuries of the mining activities in the community.

Speaking to Soireenews in an interview, he chided that Menzing Gold Bibiani limited is not helping them in terms of development and recruitment as they are directly affected by the Mining activities especially noise and air pollution and as a result has led to cracks in their buildings due to heavy blasting by the previous and current mining companies.

"We have suffered in the hands of the mining companies since 1835 when they started the mining, we have never benefited from their activities, even recruiting our youth has become a problem for us.

They are planning to evacuate us from our lands without any proper benefit. We are appealing to the government to come to our aid they give us proper compensation", he said.

On his part, Kwabena Akese, Unit committee chairman indicated that this mining company sometimes takes their farmlands without proper compensation and measures to the farmers regarding dear future welfare.

"The mining authorities cannot boost a single monumental project for the community, we are challenging them to come out and tell the whole world a single project done for the community, even not a school building.

I want this opportunity to inform them that if indeed they want to stay with us, they should back up and help the community", he emphasized.

A resident in the community also added that the youth in the community have been left frustrated and jobless, meanwhile, they have a mining company recruiting outsiders and even foreign Nationals perhaps calling on the Minerals Commission and other relevant stakeholders to up their game and assist the youth who qualify for the jobs to get recruited.

"We are suffering too much. Even those who qualify for the jobs have been left behind, how can this be possible, We are calling on the relevant stakeholders to assist the damming youth get employed.