As Ghana positions itself as a major player in the global lithium mining industry, communities in the mining area earmarked for resettlement have been admonished to take practical lessons from mining-induced resettled communities by past mining projects.
This was the overarching message from Mr. Robert Tanti Ali, Executive Director of the Center for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS), in an interview on Kobbes FM, a popular radio station in the Mfantsiman Municipality.
Citing Article 20 (2) of the 1992 constitution and the Mining and Minerals Act (Act 703), he outlined communities’ legal entitlements during resettlement. To him, people must be compensated adequately to maintain the same standard of living, if not improved. Both economic and cultural losses must be accounted for through livelihood programs, land offsets, and aid for reestablishing social networks.
In addition, he stated that, per the Minerals and Mining (Compensation and Resettlement) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2175), where the inhabitants of a community are affected by a mining lease operation, the mining company resettles community members to a suitable place that upholds the socio-cultural and economic welfare of affected persons. This is to be done to improve livelihoods and living standards.
As lithium mining is new in Ghana, Mr. Ali recommended communities negotiate robust terms informed by past mining communities’ hard-learned lessons.
“We cannot allow the same human rights violations, loss of lands and livelihoods, and broken promises that have marred so many mining resettlements across Ghana,” stated Mr. Ali, whose organization has documented widespread injustices faced by resettled communities.
Ghana’s government recently approved its first lithium mine operated by a subsidiary Australian based company, Atlantic Lithium Limited. The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources granted the company a 15 year lease on the mine at Ewoyaa, on Ghana’s southern Coast where the company has been exploring for almost seven years. Ghana seeks to play a major role in producing components of electric car batteries due to its high demand in recent times.
As part of the Power of Our Voices Project (PVP), CeSIS recently launched a report on community experiences with mining-induced resettlement and compensation, highlighting the challenges host communities face after the process.
