Mining is a critical industry for the global economy, but its impact on local communities is often a cause for concern.

The Centre for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS), an Obuasi-based research and advocacy group, shed light on this issue by presenting their findings on the impact of mining on local communities in Obuasi.

The presentation aimed at educating participants on the rights of the affected communities and the actions taken by mining companies.

According to Ali Tanti Robert, the Executive Director of the Centre for Social Impact Studies, the organization has extensive experience working in mining communities over 10 years, with a particular focus on issues related to resettlement and compensation.

With the support of the Third World Network and the Power of Our Voices Project, the CeSIS commissioned a research study in the Ahafo and Ashanti regions to investigate the experiences of communities regarding resettlement and compensation.

Through surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews, the study examined three unique communities in the Adansi area, including Bidiem who was resettled 26 years ago under the 1992 resettlement law, Dokyiwaa resettled in 2011 and Anwiem who wishes to be resettled due to the risks posed by the mining company.

The study found that most communities were not aware of laws and policies related to resettlement and compensation, including those passed in 2012, and were not equipped to negotiate with mining industries operating in their area.
Additionally, the study found that AngloGold Ashanti had a policy on compensation, but the communities were not aware of it, and those that had received compensation were not satisfied with the outcome.

Ali Tanti Robert also stated that as a result of these findings, CeSIS has made several policy recommendations to AngloGold Ashanti, including increased engagement with communities to ensure their understanding of relevant laws and policies, and the need for communities to become more knowledgeable about the law to better negotiate with mining companies.



He said, "CeSIS also plans to conduct workshops and public training to educate communities about their rights, they will also collaborate with radio stations and other media outlets to share information with the general public, and engage in constructive dialogue with AngloGold Ashanti to build a more positive relationship between the company and the communities in which it operates".

The report has been validated and will be submitted to relevant policymakers and stakeholders, and these issues will be a focus moving forward.

Karim Iddrisu, President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled in Obuasi Municipal, shared his thoughts on the research conducted by CeSIS. He expressed his satisfaction with the research and emphasized that the community has been eagerly awaiting evidence-based studies of this nature.

He urged Anglogold Ashanti to give careful consideration to the research documents provided to them and to make their policies on resettlement and compensation more transparent.

He believed that this will bring peace and prevent future misunderstandings. Mr. Iddrisu also noted that similar research in the past could have prevented previous misunderstandings.

Kojo Appiah, a resident of Anwiem-Obuasi, expressed appreciation for the research conducted by CeSIS. He stated that the research has helped the community to understand the positive and negative impact of the mining company on their community. He expressed confidence that CeSIS research will lead to improvements in their community.

Appiah also highlighted the challenges faced by his community, specifically mentioning instances of destruction to homes and livestock as a result of surface mining operations in 1992 and 2004, and an accompanying death in 2004. He further noted that the difficulties faced by his community have continued to this day.

Overall, the research conducted by CeSIS revealed several problems affecting local communities from the impact of the mining industries. They stated that, in most cases, the rights of the affected communities were ignored. Furthermore, inadequate compensation and resettlement packages were provided to many of the communities studied.

They also assured participants that, their research will also emphasize the urgent need to ensure that the rights of local communities affected by mining operations are respected and that they receive fair and adequate compensation.