Ahafo Movement for Development (AMoD), a Non- Governmental Organisation has dragged Mining giants, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) to the Accra High Court over non-payment of land use compensation for 2004 and 2005 for their Ahafo Mine operations.
The Complainants are Mr. William Nsiah Ababio, Mr. Kwasi Gyamfi, and Mr. Maxwell Atuahene. Messrs. Nsiah Ababio and Kwesi Gyamfi are the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary of Ahafo Movement for Development respectively.
The plaintiffs are also farmers at Kenyasi No.2 and Ntotroso in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.
Prior to filing the lawsuit against NGGL on November 19, 2021, at an Accra High Court, the plaintiffs claimed they had several engagements with the company to pay the landowners who had been deprived of their lands. However, the meetings did not yield any fruitful outcome which left the plaintiffs with no option but to proceed to court to ensure that the Company pay the land use compensation to the landowners.
According to the plaintiffs, over 1200 farmers are affected by the non-payment of the disturbance of the surface rights of the land owners and lawful occupiers. Those affected by the non-payment of their due compensation have had several engagements with the company each of which NGGL had taken an entrenched position of “we will not pay”.
Mr. William Nsiah Ababio, Chief Executive Officer of AMoD stressed that Company was not willing to listen to the farmers, lamenting that, “in one of our meetings, Newmont’s representatives stated categorically that until we took them to court, they would not pay the compensation.”
One of the complainants, Mr. Kwasi Gyamfi who doubles as the Executive Secretary of Ahafo Movement for Development, told the press, “the plaintiffs are claiming payments of compensation for disturbance of the surface rights of their land 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 Greengrant Fund of the United States of America in April, 2022, to support the farmers in their expenses in terms of transportation from Kenyasi to Accra during Court hearings, meetings and media engagements.
Source: Publicagendagh.com
