Regional News of Wednesday, 8 October 2003

Source: GNA

Divestiture of mines has caused poverty in Upper Denkyira

Dunkwa-on-Offin (C/R), Oct 8, GNA- The acting President of the Denkyira Traditional Council, Nana Ntobonkyi II, has said the divestiture of the State Gold Mining Corporation at Dunkwa-on-Offin in 1994 has affected the socio-economic conditions of the people in the area.

He said a lot of the workers were laid off and are still unemployed while the investor who took over the company and renamed it Dunkwa Continental Goldfields has made no effort in recalling them. Nana Ntobonkyi said this when Mr Asamoah Boateng, a Deputy Minister of Information, called on him on Tuesday.

He appealed to the government to intervene and allow in more investors in order to create job opportunities for the people. ''The corporation is too big for a single investor", the chief said. Mr Boateng promised to channel their concerns to the appropriate quarters for redress and urged the people to have faith in the government since it is doing everything possible to make life better for all.

Mr Richard Anane-Adabor, the District Chief Executive called for rehabilitation of the road from Dunkwa to Twifo-Praso to facilitate the transportation of food items to the marketing centres.