Several citizens of Weajue, in Grand Cape Mount County, have apologized to the management of Bea Mountain Mining Company for holding their employees hostage last week in demand for a relocation package.
At a mass meeting held on Wednesday, September 28, 022, the chiefs, elders and youths of the area apologized to the company for the level of hostility exhibited towards some employees last week.
Speaking at the meeting, madam Hawa Thomas, Chairlady of Weajue said it was unfortunate for such a protest to be carried out. She said they consider the company as one family and there was no justification for such barbaric action.
"We want to say sorry for what our children did. We want to take this time to tell you that holding the people here not to go outside was not good," she said.
It can be recalled that some citizens from Weajue community, especially in Tah mounted a roadblock last week and held some employees of the company hostage on grounds that they needed relocation or safe water channel to enable water to move freely in the community. They said due to the heavy downpour of rain, most of the towns got flooded and wanted immediate help from the company; but decided to take some employees hostage as a way to draw the attention of management.
The meeting was attended by many local government officials as well as elders and chiefs from the community and nearby clans.
Meanwhile, following discussions held between Bea Mountain Mining Company and Laar Clan, in Cape Mount County, the company has approved several projects in three communities in the clan totaling US$69,400(sixty-nine thousand four hundred united states dollars).
The amount is part of the Clan Development Fund of US$150,000(One hundred and fifty thousand united states dollars) earlier given to the clan this year.
This was agreed on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at a mass meeting held in Kinjor .
During the meeting, the Projects Management Committee(PMC) of Laar Clan presented through a Power Point presentation, in which they showcased four projects that they intend to implement.
The projects are; Renovation of Beh-Gondor Clinic with additional units and have it functional $31,500USD, provision of drugs to the clinic of US$4,000, and Renovation of Gold Camp Town Hall and extension of additional facilities $9,000USD.
Also, the Construction of Jennema Town Hall $20,000USD, and scholarships for University Students $8,500USD. In the same meeting, the PMC of Laar Clan also stressed the need to have its members capacitated in order to monitor pending projects. The PMC Chairman Charles Cooper named mobility, computers, office space and stipends as major challenges to enhancing their work effectively.
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Also speaking during the meeting, the General Manager of BMMC Mr. Reza Karimiyan thanked Laar Clan Development Committee for being the first to present their planned priority projects to top Management. The General Manager emphasized the need for the Clan to give more attention to the Health and Education sectors in awarding scholarships.
Mr. Reza Karimiyan further indicated that the PMC must ensure that the amount stipulated for the four projects are actualized without any lapses for the full completion of said projects.
For their part, the Community Representative Superintendent Mr. Henry Vincent and CR Supervisor Mr. Isaac Sasraku thanked the PMC of Laar Clan for coming and sharing with top Management on their priority projects pending approval by BMMC.
