The Chief and people of Nkaseim in the Asutifi South District have commended President John Mahama, Lands Minister, and Newmont Gold Limited for their joint efforts in granting the community its long-awaited cooperative mining request, which is expected to create over 5,000 jobs.
According to residents and traditional leaders, the project, when officially launched, will not only provide sustainable employment for the teeming youth and boost the local economy, but will also help mitigate illegal mining activities and foster peaceful coexistence between the community and Newmont.
At a community engagement in honour of visiting officials from the newly established Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) and the Minerals Commission, traditional leaders expressed confidence in the government’s commitment to addressing their concerns.
Led by the Nkasiemhene, Nana Danso Agyei Ababio II, the chiefs praised the administration’s timely intervention and ongoing negotiations with Newmont to cede part of its concession for the community-led initiative.
“I thank His Excellency [President Mahama] that when we petitioned, they did not turn a blind eye. We look up to the government to ensure our youth can mine in peace and earn a decent living without fear,” Nana Ababio II stated.
20 years of struggle
On his part, the Sompahene of Nkaseim, Nana Yaw Sarpong, expressed profound joy, recalling the community’s nearly 20-year struggle to obtain legal authorisation to mine on their ancestral lands.
“This did not start today. It began back in 2007. We tried everything to get the license so we could survive, but we never succeeded. People are working in the area, but when they hear officials are coming, they run into the bush. Why? Because technically, we are trespassing on someone else’s land,” he lamented.
He added, “We’ve gone through multiple administrations without success. But when President Mahama came to power, within three months, he and Minister Kofi Armah-Buah came together to support us. Today, a delegation from Accra has come to verify our claims and engage us on the way forward. We are hopeful that when they report back, a lasting solution will be found.”
The government delegation was led by George Dadzie Jnr, Deputy National Coordinator of rCOMSDEP in charge of operations.
The team engaged the Nkaseim Traditional Council and the broader community to discuss progress as final talks with Newmont continue.
The community has long appealed for the designation of a concession at Nkaseim-Mempehia, currently within Newmont’s operational area, for a formal community mining scheme.
For decades, residents have been working the land without legal authorisation.
Efforts by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to finalise the arrangement fell through, leaving the project in limbo.
However, the current administration has revived the conversation through rCOMSDEP, leading to positive developments.
The delegation toured the proposed mining site to gather firsthand insights and assess progress on the ground.
The Nkaseim traditional leaders expressed deep gratitude to President Mahama, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Kofi Armah-Buah, and the entire government for their proactive steps to make the community mining initiative a reality.
Other dignitaries present at the engagement included Nana Boafo Armah, District Officer of the Minerals Commission at Kenyasi, Yaw Okyere, Council of State representative for the Ahafo Region, the Association of Nkaseim Youth, and several opinion leaders from the traditional area.
