“The economy will not see significant development unless it is linked to controlling the growing hypocrisy of the Ghana Chamber of Mines”

Obviously, the people of Ghana have had enough of the politics of the benefits and detriments associated with mining our natural resources. It is a fact that minerals contribute a lot to the country’s foreign exchange and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) especially gold which earned as much as US$2,246.25 million in 2008 as revenue as stated in the Budget Statement for the 2009 financial year. In the same vein, the negative connotation that goes with the term “Resource Curse” is vigorously sweeping across to the corners of the already ailing economy. As such it is true that the recorded and unrecorded disasters in the mining industry have rendered these gains in the industry completely useless.

Not to mince words, apart from the fact that the Minerals and Mining Act 703 (2006) is too frail and that multinational mining companies easily skirt these laws to manipulate the livelihoods of the poor local people, the operations of Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) of late are skewed towards strongly supporting these companies to carry on with their nefarious acts. This article is in reaction to the statements made by Chief Executive Officer of GCM, Ms Joyce Aryee at the ‘Zone One inter-mine safety/first aid competition’ at Obuasi regarding that the shift in focus of illegal miners (galamsey) from encroaching on mining concessions of large scale mines to exploration is one of the serious challenges confronting the mining industry. She said “this is very worrying as it threatens the very life of the mining industry, since without a vibrant exploration programme, the long term life of the mining industry would not be assured” (GNA, 21 September, 2009)

It is clear that she is talking from the standpoint of complete support to the growth of the mining companies and neglecting the welfare and plights of the poor and the urgent needs of the economy. What should they expect the local people whose large farmlands have been seized illegally to do? Galamseying into the mining concessions would hysterically erupt with attempts by the disenchanted youth in these mining communities to have a respected livelihood. Does one even need to be told that the mining industry is obsessed with serious challenges? It is very disgusting when such series of statements that come from the Chamber is, in no doubt, directed towards supporting and concurring to the inimical operations of mining companies in Ghana. The Chamber considering recent happenings has been supporting the all-encompassing inhuman exploitations (environmental, social and economic lives of the people) of the people by various companies.

Ms Aryee and the Chamber should know for a fact that the mining industry has long been threatened even before the upsurge of these illegal mining operations. The Ghana Chamber of Mines is silent over the increase in human rights abuses in the limelight of the media where the ordinary people are denied access to their own land, rendered homeless by deposits of rock debris and the astronomical increase abject poverty resulting from unemployment. Rather, they are so particular about revenues earned by the country, royalties (which are not transparent) and donations made by mining companies. The existing challenge to the industry is indeed the hypocritical attitude of the Ghana Chamber of Mines that serves to be potential affiliates to or subsidiary of these multinational mining companies but not the attitude of the local people. They reserve every right to make a living.

Ms Aryee and her chamber should give us a break. All they know is trying to go at all length to please these companies; possibly to have their financial appetite satisfied. They should declare their stand; whether for the benefits of the country and as such the welfare of the people or the selfish interest of these companies. Or are they a Non-Aligned Chamber? This is hypocrisy at the highest point.

The Ideal

Indisputably, mining is doing more harm than good considering the fact that the economic, social and environmental functions of the people are completely malfunctioning. There is no gainsaying that almost all multinational mining companies are making a mess of the state of the local people and the economy at large. The ordinary people are still being subjected to the tremors of serious environmental and health hazards and even physical attacks from expatriates as if to say there are no laws regulating the mining sector. All that Ghana Chamber of Mines can do is incessantly refuting and quashing clear and true allegations and claims made by advocacy groups, civil society organisations and human rights groups, purportedly to gratify the wishes of these mining companies. “The Ghana Chamber of Mines stated not long ago that the view that mining companies are destroying agriculture in the country is not borne out by the fact”. This reaction to the allegations that the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) raised concerning the large tracts of agricultural lands currently under mining concession is highly uncalled-for. What fact do they need again? Agriculture is on the verge of collapsing in these communities especially Obuasi. They should move down from Accra to the apparently inaccessible mining communities to see for themselves the existing reality which I am sure they perfectly know.

But for the timely, significant intervention and purposeful operations of the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) over the years and some human rights groups, the lives of people in mining communities would have been very devastating. The spate of enlightenment brought to the local people through education by WACAM has caused these companies to resort to using the Ghana Chamber of Mines as tool to support and make secret their wicked acts. One is right to say that they are now the unofficial mouthpiece of these companies. This is very sad and as such leaves much to be desired. All that the country needs for now is the amendment of the weak sections of the Minerals and Mining Act 703 (2006) and making it readily enforceable. Ghana Chamber of Mines should lead the country to achieving this objective and stop the vain asymmetrical statements! Mining can never be a strategic pole to growth and development in Ghana if things do not change now.

It is worthwhile of note that this hypocrisy of the chamber has cost and is costing Ghana a lot. No wonder the “Paradox of Plenty” remains significant and is increasing in alarming trends even with increase in the so-called donations made by these companies under the guise of reducing the impact of poverty. It’s a lie. It is the people’s money that is being spent like that. Where does Ghana want to go? If the mining industry had received the adequate attention and care and that the Ghana Chamber of Mines had not reneged on its responsibilities, the state of the economy would have been a livable one for the majority poor and not the few rich.

“Their” hypocrisy is indeed killing the economy. This makes the dream to realise development in Ghana a mocking mirage.

The author Stephen Yeboah (stephenyeboah110@yahoo.com) is at the Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana.