The chiefs and people of Nkaseim in the Asutifi South District have issued a strong warning to political actors to desist from attempts to interfere with their soon-to-be-launched cooperative mining project.
According to the community, some local leaders and political figures are allegedly attempting to sell portions of the concession to private individuals, undermining the purpose for which the land was released.
“We want the community to succeed, so we won’t allow the project to be handled in a partisan manner,” the chiefs cautioned, urging political actors from both the NDC and NPP to either support the president’s vision or stay away from the concession entirely.
They further appealed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Kofi Armah-Buah, to conduct an independent investigation into the alleged attempts to commercialise the land.
“Some of our leaders have plans to sell the concession to individuals, and that will affect our youth. Even our honourable is allegedly involved in trying to lease out the land. We want the Minister to intervene, just as he did when the matter involved Newmont,” a resident said.
The caution comes as officials from the Minerals Commission and the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) begin registering mining cooperatives in Nkaseim on the instruction of the sector minister.
The team, led by the Deputy National Coordinator of rCOMSDEP in charge of operations, George Dadzie Jnr, is engaging community stakeholders to ensure a smooth registration process.
This development follows the release of a large tract of land to the Nkaseim community by Newmont Gold Limited through the Minerals Commission. The initiative is expected to create sustainable employment for the youth and boost the local economy.
For nearly two decades, some Nkaseim residents worked informally on portions of Newmont’s concession. With the change in administration, the chiefs and people renewed their long-standing appeal through rCOMSDEP, leading to the sector minister’s intervention and the eventual release of the concession for community mining.
The project is expected to reduce illegal mining while promoting peaceful coexistence between the community and Newmont.
Visibly elated, the chiefs and residents expressed gratitude to the President and the Lands Minister for helping secure what they describe as a major step toward sustainable livelihoods after years of uncertainty.
“I thank His Excellency the President that when we petitioned, he did not turn a blind eye. We look up to the government to ensure our youth can mine in peace and earn a decent living,” said Nana Ababio II.
For decades, Nkaseim residents operated on the land without formal authorisation. Attempts by the previous NPP administration to regularise their activities were unsuccessful, leaving the community’s aspirations in limbo. The current government, through rCOMSDEP, has revived the process and made significant progress.
The traditional authorities expressed deep appreciation to President John Mahama, Lands Minister Kofi Armah-Buah, and the government for their commitment to advancing the cooperative mining agenda.
Recounting the community’s two-decade struggle, the Sompahene of Nkaseim, Nana Yaw Sarpong, said, “This did not start today. It began in 2007. We tried everything to get a licence so we could survive, but we never succeeded. When officials were coming, people would run into the bush because technically we were trespassing.”
“We’ve gone through multiple administrations without success. But when President Mahama came to power, within three months he and Minister Armah-Buah supported us. Today, a delegation from Accra has come to verify our claims and engage us on the way forward. We are hopeful that their report will lead to a lasting solution,” he added.
