Some Cocoa farmers in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti region whose farmlands have been earmarked for mineral prospecting have expressed worry at the manner in which their cocoa trees are being destroyed without consulting them.
They have also expressed concern that cocoa production in the area will reduce significantly and they will not have any other source of livelihood if the area is deemed viable for mining activities.
The Atwima Mponua District is one of the largest districts in the Ashanti region. The residents are predominantly farmers.
The area is blessed with minerals such as gold and bauxite.
Cocoa farming is a viable source of livelihood for farmers.
However, in recent times, some of the farmlands have been earmarked for mineral prospecting by a mining company.
This according to the cocoa farmers has become a great source of worry for them as the mining firm has started pulling down some of their cocoa trees without informing them.
“According to them, they are here to do prospecting and I asked them that if they are here to do prospecting, why didn’t they discuss with us ahead of time to negotiate before coming to the farmland. One of their managers said they at times go to the farms to begin their activities before going to negotiate with the farmers. So I told them that, that is not the right thing to do. If they were able to do that to someone, then it cannot happen in my case,’’ a farmer stated.
“What baffles me is that this is a farming community and they said they are doing prospecting with an excavator where they are pulling down cocoa trees. We are predominantly cocoa farmers. When I got to my farm, I realized they were entering so I didn’t understand. This is because we have not had a discussion on how much I would be paid. They just came with their machines to start their operations,’’ another farmer indicated.
In response, Abdul Amin who is the Public Relations Officer of Golden Sunshine, the mining company embarking on the project in the area, explained that they were unable to give some farmers prior notice because they could not trace them.
He said the company was holding discussions with the farmers to help resolve the issue.
He noted that the mining firm does reclamation after their prospecting activities and as a result does not destroy farmlands.
On his part, the District Chief Executive of the Atwima Mponua District Assembly, William Darko said the assembly had set up a committee to ensure that the farmers get what is due them.
But the farmers insist that the takeover by the mining company would significantly affect cocoa production in the country.
They want policymakers to reconsider the decision or provide them with an alternative source of livelihood.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Jerusalem, one of the farming communities in the district, Nana Kofi Boakye wants proper measures to be put in place to ensure that mining companies embark on corporate social responsibility projects to help develop the area once operations begin.
“We don’t have a school here. We also lack some basic social amenities. So when this area is considered viable for mining, together with my elders, we shall arrange with the mining companies to embark on corporate social responsibilities here.’’