Some residents of Obuasi and its environs in the Ashanti Region have bemoaned the poor conditions under which they live amid the wealth the land is endowed with and has become the economic hub for foreigners.
Among the many concerns raised are unavailability of potable water, electric power supply and good road networks. According to the residents, efforts to get the government to intervene have proved futile.
Angel FM’s correspondent in the region, Chuku Joseph, indicated that many developments including school and water projects seen in the community were effected by some monies put into a fund called community trust fund by Anglo Gold Ashanti (AGA), a gold mining company operating in the town.
“The Anglogold Ashanti created a community trust fund into which they contribute a dollar on every gold mined. It is from this fund school projects and boreholes among others are financed. There’s also mineral royalties that are paid to the chiefs of the town yearly. However the quantum of money paid to these chiefs is unknown to the community.” He said.
In addition, he said “what is more troubling to the community is the whole Obuasi concession belonging to the AGA. The work belongs to foreigners. The land is for the chiefs. The minerals act says the minerals belong to the government and it on these lands the people farm for subsistence. The AGA in constructing a fence around its concession included the lands the people tilt for survival. So all whose farms were included lost everything.”
Meanwhile measures put in place by the government to salvage the situation according to Chuku Joseph, has become a political affair.
A resident, Mr Emmanuel Kwaku who is a small scale miner recounted his experiences. He said “plane comes here to pick up gold every week but the roads here in Obuasi are so dusty. A week to the elections when the President came around the roads were done with expedition, working day and night but after the elections, works stopped. There is no one to speak on our behalf. Speaking of elections, they make big promises with grand campaigns. But after, the dust matters to nobody.”
“The Vanguards here sometimes make arrests and take 120 million, 170 million from friends, which sometimes they borrow from me to pay. I ask, the money taken from them, are they given to the government or they pocket them. Are they seeking governments good or its downfall? If the work I’m doing is illegal, the government said they were going to implement certain policies. It has been four years and nothing has been done. If they aren’t doing so, how do I survive and take care of my family and fund my children’s education?” He lamented.
The residents seek for government to intervene in their ordeals and ensure that those who pollute the environment are sanctioned to allow those who use the right processes work.
