Scores of residents of Dokyikrom, also known as Tutuka, in the Asutifi North District, Ahafo Region, on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, staged a protest against Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.
The protesters marched from the Church of Pentecost, Kenyase No. 2 to the Main Plant Site, Newmont Ahafo South Mine, expressing their anger and disappointment with the company’s failure to fulfill its promises.
However, what was expected to be a peaceful march nearly turned violent when the police fired rounds of tear gas to prevent some of the protestors from entering the premises of Newmont’s Main Plant site.
The sudden use of force by the police caused chaos and panic among the protesters, resulting in a woman protester being rushed to the hospital after being affected by the tear gas.
The incident has further escalated tensions between the community and the mining company and the authorities.
As they held placards and chanted slogans, the protestors called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the traditional authorities to intervene and ensure that Newmont honours its obligations.
The community members, directly affected by the mining operations, demanded action from Newmont, citing unmet commitments to: compensate and relocate them to a safe area; address environmental and social impacts, including damage to their homes and livelihoods, and provide fair and adequate compensation for disputed structures.
In an interview with journalists, Johnson Owusu Prempeh, a leader of the protest, issued a stern warning to Newmont, stating that if the company fails to pay the agreed-upon compensation and rent allowance, the community will be forced to embark on a series of sustained picketing exercises until their demands are fully met.
He emphasised that they will not back down until Newmont takes concrete steps to address their grievances and honours its obligations to the affected community members.
We have been negotiating with Newmont for almost 10 years, but they have failed to honour their obligations,” stressing that “We will continue to protest until our demands are met.”
Another protester, Auntie Akua Mensah, expressed her frustration, saying, “We’re exhausted from years of broken promises and inaction from Newmont.
“We’re demanding that they finally pay us the compensation we’re owed and take full responsibility for their actions. We want them to relocate us to a safe area, far from the harmful effects of their mining operations, which have devastated our lives and livelihoods,” she charged.
The protest follows several years of negotiations with little results. The residents vowed to continue their protest until their demands were met, and thus called on the government, regulatory agencies and the traditional authorities to hold Newmont accountable for its actions.
