Wassa Akyempim must seek services of lawyer to scrutinise MoU between mining company

Dr Cristina Oduma Anderson, a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast speaking on the Jolly Breakfast Show said, “during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between mining companies and communities, the community must be represented by a lawyer or an abled person who will read to understand the terms of condition.”

She said it is very important for a community to be represented by lawyers or capable people who will enlighten them about the contracts and their benefits.

She said, “Mining entails a lot of technicalities and there might not be enough human resources in mining communities to work in these companies. However, if that becomes the reality, the community lawyer or leader who is leading them in signing the MoU must make sure the terms of the condition are in favour of the community as the company will grant scholarships to brilliant students and train able members to take up roles in the company.”

“If that is not done, the mining companies will always have their way,” she added.

So in this case, the community must seek the services of a lawyer to scrutinise the MoU so they can get what is due them.

This comes after over 600 aggrieved jobless residents, mostly youth of Wassa Akyempim in the Wassa East district of the Western Region expressed their fed-up displeasure through a demonstration against Golden Star Wassa Mining Ltd.

According to Kwasi Mensah who is the convenor and leader of the unemployed residents, since the mining company was established at Wassa Akyempim for decades, the company has refused to offer the residents employed. Adding that majority of the residents are competent enough to fill the various vacancies in the company but they are not employed.

The company however employs people outside the Wassa Akyempim community which they describe as unfair recruitment.

Kwasi Mensah also revealed that the Akyempim community and the Golden Star Wassa Ltd have signed a Memorandum Of Understanding on employment but the company fails to apply the M.O.U.