President Urges Mining Firms To Be Humane

President John Agyekum Kufuor yesterday called on mining companies in the country to be sensitive to the plight of the people in their areas of operations. He said it was important that such companies in the country became good corporate citizens to enhance the growth and development of the country.

President Kufuor made the remark in Accra when Mr. Pierre Lassande, president of the US-based Newmout Mining Corporation, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu.

“We want you to be good corporate citizens of this country. Wherever you go, show sensitivity to the people,” he said. The President further asked the companies to recognize the owners of the land on which they operate and treat them as such.

He assured the company of the government’s preparedness to lend every possible support to the company to enable it to smoothly operate in the country. Mr. Lassande in his response, said the company was getting increasingly confident in the sector following their research in the area of their operations.

Newmout Mining Corporation is to operate at Kenyasi in the Brong-Ahafo Region and Akyem Ntronang in the Birim District of the Eastern Region. Mr Lassande said the company was technically satisfied with the conditions in their proposed areas of operation. He noted that no mining company could survive in this century’s social environment if it was not sensitive to the needs of the people.