WACAM condemns Chinese infiltration

The Associate Executive Director of Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM), Mrs. Hannah Owusu Koranteng, has condemned the Chinese infiltration of the country’s small-scale mining industry.

She described as unfortunate the struggle between residents of mining communities and illegal Chinese miners, whose activities continue to threaten the livelihood of indigenes.

Mrs. Owusu Koranteng was addressing members of the Community Mining Advocacy Committee (C-MAC) at Sheini in the Tatale District of the Northern Region on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the mining sector.

“Mining companies in the country are having a free ride in violating human rights of people in their operational areas, as well as with the destruction of water-bodies and the environment.”

Mrs. Hannah Koranteng said Government should be blamed for over-reliance on foreign companies to push the nation’s development agenda.

She was worried about how mining companies hide under the cover of corporate social responsibility to deny communities the appropriate and right compensation due them after destroying their farm lands and polluting their water-bodies.