Alfred Adam
21 August 2008
Teleku - Bokazo — FIFTEEN communities, in the Ellembele District of the Western Region, have appealed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to grant a permit to Adamus Resources Limited (ARL), a mining company, to begin operations in the area.
According to the communities, though the company was yet to begin operations, it had demonstrated to them that it would be partners in development for the area.
The communities are Akango, Anwia, Duale, Aluku, Teleku-Bokazo and Salman, among others.
Adamus Resources Limited is to undertake a surface mining exercise in the above mentioned communities, and as such has drawn a comprehensive resettlement programme for the people of Salman, who would be affected by the exercise.
At a two-day Environmental Impact Statement Public Hearing, organized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in the various communities, the people openly declared their support for the project.
This is the second time the EPA has organised fora for the people to make their input into the project.
The assembly member for Salman, Mr. John Koomson, who represented the chief and people of the area, told the EPA officials that since they (Salman) were not opposed to the operations of the company, they must be given a benefiting resettlement.
The Chief of Anwia, Nana Simanle Kpanyile, leading his people, also told the EPA and other stakeholders, "I and my people are happy that Adamus Resources has finally come to stay on our soil, and we have no other option than to ask the EPA to give it a permit to start its operations."
He noted that he and his people could not turn a blind eye to the development the company was going to bring to them.
Nana Simanle Kpanyile said the entire community of Anwia, wholeheartedly welcomed the company, and expressed the hope that the EPA would give it a permit right away to start its operations.
At Aluku, Nana Asubonteng, chief of the village, also supported the project. Part of Aluku, which falls under the company's resettlement exercise, according to management of Adamus Resource, would also be taken care off.
The Chief of Akango, Nana Kwesi Afari II, demanded that the company embark on a proper resettlement exercise for his people, provide scholarship schemes and Alternative Livelihood Programmes, when it kick-starts operations.
The Teleku-Bokazo Chief, and his people, also welcomed the decision by the company to operate there.
He, however, wanted to know what plans the company had put in place to deal with negative environmental problems.
The youth of the area also welcomed the idea, that the EPA should give the company the permit to start its operations.
The Chief Executive Officer of Adamus Resources Limited, Mr. Marl Onelly, explained that his company was committed to ensuring the development of the local communities, in partnership with the district assemblies.
Pursuant to this, the company spent $2,000,000 on development projects in the various communities last year.
According to him, the company has also trained 91 youth in vocational skills.
Mr. Onelly promised to support Alternative Livelihood Programmes, while it operated in the locality.
The programme would include oil palm plantations and processing, coconut plantations and processing, aquaculture, kaolin mining, among others.
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