On November 19,2021,Ahafo Movement for Development(AMoD) a Non-Governmental Organization in Kenyasi at Asutifi North District in Ahafo Region of Ghana, dragged Newmont Ghana Gold Limited(NGGL), a subsidiary of Newmont Gold Corporation of America to the Accra High Court over non-payment of Land use compensation for 2004 and 2005 for their Ahafo (South) mining operations.
The complainants/plaintiffs are Mr.William Nsiah Ababio, Mr.Kwasi Gyamfi and Mr. Maxwell Atuahene. The first and second plaintiffs are from Kenyasi No.2.Mr.Atuahene is from Ntrotroso and is a farmer while Mr.Nsiah Ababio and Mr. Gyamfi are the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary of AMoD respectively.
The lawsuit which has witnessed several hearings since 2021 is still on going at the Accra High Court. The plaintiffs claim that the lawsuit against NGGL became necessary as a result of many engagements with the company to pay the landowners who had been deprived of their lands by the company did not yield any fruitful outcomes which left the plaintiffs with no options but to proceed to court to ensure that the company pays the deprivation of land use compensation to the landowners.
The plaintiffs reported earlier that over 1200 farmers were affected by the non-payment of the disturbance of the surface rights of the landowners and /or lawful occupiers. But a request by the court for the plaintiffs to update the court with farmers’ identification numbers issued by the company as shown by their crop compensation receipts has increased the number of farmers or compensation claimants to about 1271 with multiple crops compensation receipts at different farming areas.
Mr. Nsiah Ababio,the C.E.O. of AMoD stressed the company was recalcitrant to the extent that in one of our meetings with them their representatives stated categorically that “until you take us to court we will not pay the compensation you claim”.
The Executive Secretary of AMoD, Mr. Kwasi Gyamfi told the press the plaintiffs are claiming payments for compensation of the disturbance of the surface rights of their lands and all due interests for all lands taken by NGGL in 2004 and 2005.
The Ahafo Movement for Development was awarded a grant by the Global Green Fund of the United States of America in February, 2024 to support the farmers in their expenses in terms of transportation from Kenyasi to Accra during court hearings, meetings and media engagements.
Source: Publicagenda.news
