The U-turn
In a shocking U-turn, the Minerals Commission has published on its website confirming the granting of licence to Green Metals Resources Limited to mine lithium in the Effutu area. Per the records on the website of the Minerals Commission, the licence was granted on November 9, 2023, and will expire on November 8, 2026.Effutu Traditional Council shocked
Neenyi Ghartey VII, the paramount chief of the Effutu Traditional Area, has once again conveyed the traditional council's disinterest in allowing lithium mining on their land. The chief expressed concerns about the potential environmental impact on their stream, lagoon, and hunting grounds, crucial for the annual Aboakyire festival. Speaking on the Class Morning Show with Kwame Dwomoh Agyemang on Wednesday, 13 December 2023, Neenyi Ghartey outlined three main reasons against any form of mining in the area. He emphasised that lithium mining, being surface mining, would destroy their stream and mini-lagoon, jeopardising their status as a Ramsar site of international importance. Additionally, the hunting grounds integral to the Aboakyire festival would be compromised. Neenyi Ghartey questioned the benefits of lithium mining compared to the contributions of the Aboakyire festival to tourism and the community's well-being. He stated: "I will be glad if somebody can come forward and tell me the tourism interest, what we give to the government because of the festival and what this lithium will give to us in three-five years." The paramount chief made it clear that as of now, no entity has approached the traditional council for mining in Winneba. However, he asserted that if such a situation arises in the future, both the council and the people will resist it. Neenyi Ghartey emphasised that mining is not the sole path to community development, adding that revenue from tourism, particularly from the Aboakyire festival, can contribute equally. “We will resist it because it’s not minerals alone that will make a country what it is. I’ve travelled to a few places and I know what the countries get from tourism. So, if that is ours and what we contribute towards the national good, why not protect it?" he remarked.The threat since 2007
Our checks revealed that, there have been several attempts to carry out mining activities in the Aboakyer hunting grounds, and Ramsar site as far back as the year 2007 when a company expressed interest. The Caribbean Atlantic Holding Ghana Ltd, was said to have applied to the Minerals Commission for a mining concession in the aforementioned areas, but the move was heatedly opposed by the people of Winneba. Obotan Resources Ltd also allegedly made an effort to mine in the same protected areas in 2012 with an application, but the Effutu people resisted their attempts. Four years later, Merlic Resources Ltd also sought to mine in the same restricted areas, but their request was vehemently opposed by the good people of Winneba. Currently is Green Metals Company Limited pushing to mine in the area. At the beginning of December this year, the youth of Winneba, staged a massive demonstration against the purported sale of Winneba Ramsar site and other preserved heritage lands for mining purposes. The huge demonstration was a follow-up to an earlier warning jointly issued by the Paramount Chiefs of Effutu, Gomoa Akyenpim and Gomoa Ajumako traditional areas on the same subject matter. Speaking to the media on behalf of the youth, Dr James Kofi Annan, who is a proud native of Winneba, mentioned that the protestation was meant to register their displeasure and disapproval of the alleged move.
Some placards displayed by the demonstrators
The protest, he said, was “against the granting of any form of license and or concession to Green Metal Resources Ltd and or any other individual or company or group of companies for the purposes of mining in the globally recognised and protected Winnba Pomadze Ramsar site”.
“We, the people of Winneba by this demonstration and its attendant petition are registering our disgust and protest against the granting of lease, permit or any form of concession to the Green Metals Resources Ltd or any other company for the purposes of mining in or anywhere near the Aboakyer grounds,” he added.
To their surprise, he stated that Green Metal Resources were published as having been under consideration for a mining concession in the same area in 2022 but faced fierce protestations from the chiefs.
“It is, therefore, surprising and disgusting that the same Green Metal Resources, which was rejected, has come back again to mine in the sacred ramsar site of the people of Effutu.
“We would like to further state that the people of Winneba derive more perpetual benefits from the celebration of Aboakyer Festival than any anticipated mining of lithium in our protected areas.
“There cannot be any celebration of Aboakyer Festival without the annual hunting the deer in the forest. The destruction of the forest will mean a sad end to the celebration of the Aboakyer Festival,” he stated.
Explaining further, Dr Annan stated that the Aboakyer Festival has been their heritage, which was handed to them by their ancestors.
The present generation, he stated, intended to protect it with pride and passion because it has been their cultural heritage, part of their spiritual being and they, therefore, protest any attempt to desecrate the sanctity of the sacred forest.
Yaw
December 23, 2023