New Abirem (E/R), June 11, GNA - Madam Esther Obeng Dappah, Minister of Mines, Lands and Forestry has revealed that Newmont (Ghana Gold), a gold mining company will receive permit to commence operations on its Akyem Concession by the close of the year. Madam Dappah who is also the Member of Parliament for Abirem Constituency e disclosed this at New Abirem in a statement issued on her behalf when the Birim North District had its turn at this year's People's Assembly.

The Minister also said commencement of work by the Company would pave the way for landowners, not only to get reasonable compensations for their crops but at the same time get annual grounds rent; a deal she had personally initiated. Madam Dappah said the commencement of work by Newmont will create job opportunities for the local people and at the same time open up the District to enhance the living standards of the communities. The Minister said to curb illegal gold mining in the area, she had got Newmont to release a gold concession at Noyem for small scale mining and asked all those interested to apply to legalize their operations. Mr. Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister reiterated that the President was not obliged under the constitution to assign reasons for appointing or removing appointees since it was his prerogative right to decide on whom to appoint or dismiss at any given period without giving reasons.

He was responding to a question from the public on why some government appointees at the District Assembly were removed soon after the President's nominee for the position of District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Amoako, who is the Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party failed to get the required number of votes for confirmation by the Assembly.

The Regional Minister urged Ghanaians to appreciate the global economic trend which has affected the country's budgetary planning especially in the area of escalating crude oil prices on the world market. He explained that when the NPP came to power in 2001, crude oil was around 32 dollars per barrel but it is currently hovering around 131 dollars per barrel.

Mr. Ofosu Asamoah, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kade and Acting District Chief Executive for the District explained that, the NPP government's concept of People's Assembly was to bring governance to the doorsteps of the people.

Mr. Asamoah stressed that, the mass spraying exercise of cocoa plantations, youth in agriculture programmes, community teaching assistants, health extension workers, metro mass transport and many more were all interventions meant to bring relief to the people. He catalogued a number of development projects in the District, including the construction of feeder roads, rural electrification, and school blocks at both the first and second cycle institutions and health facilities.

The Deputy Regional Minister pleaded with the people to exercise restraint since it was the government's policy to ensure the development of all communities without discrimination, stressing that, if the NPP was retained, it would continue its agenda of ensuring the fair share of the national cake in every part of the country. Nana Amo Kyiretwie II, Abiremhene, who chaired the function appealed to the government to fence the Abirem/Afosu senior High School to protect THE students and staff as well as school property. 11 June 08