Residents of communities within the catchment area of Adamus Resources in the Western Region have staged a demonstration demanding a part of the company's concession for community mining.

According to them, the company has neglected its responsibilities to the communities and denied residents economic opportunities.

The angry residents from Salma, Akamko, Bamiako, and surrounding communities set ablaze the security post of the company, blocking the main entrance to the mine as they embarked on protests on Monday, April 14.

It took military and police intervention to deal with the destruction and calm tensions mounted by the youth.

To the youth groups, the mining company has denied them access to small-scale mining plots within its concession.

One of the protesters, Kwaku Anum, revealed, “Foreigners are being leased concessions for alluvial mining, denying local interests.”

He added, “Our communities are denied development, and the youth are also unemployed.”

Protesters expressed deep frustration over the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ refusal to intervene in the community’s plight.

They are calling on the Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to thoroughly investigate issues surrounding the mine.

According to the residents, the present issues threaten the security of the communities in the catchment area.

They are petitioning President John Dramani Mahama through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, demanding an independent investigation.

Adamus reaffirms commitment to Nzema communities amid concession concerns

Meanwhile, management of Adamus Resources Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the concerns and advancing the interests of local communities within the Nzema area. The company, in a statement, said it remains resolute in fulfilling its responsibilities and will not renege on its obligations to people within its operational areas.

Adamus emphasised that it is a fully Ghanaian-owned and operated entity, a structure it believes should inspire national pride rather than confrontation. It also dismissed recent media reports alleging that it had leased portions of its concessions to foreign entities, describing the claims as unfounded and misleading.

The company noted that it continues to prioritise local employment, with more than 60 per cent of its workforce drawn from host communities, which it described as one of the highest local employment ratios in the mining industry.

In total, the company employs over 3,000 Ghanaians across its operations and has pledged to increase this number as it expands activities in Nzema and other mining areas.

Addressing unemployment concerns, Adamus disclosed that it has allocated hundreds of acres of its concessions to local groups since assuming operations in 2017. Beneficiaries include the Nkroful Small Scale Mining Association, which received 25 acres, the Akomu Small Scale Mining Association, allocated 50 acres at Nvuma, and the Apataim community, among others.

The company claimed that the recent protest was organised by illegal miners posing as community representatives, adding that prior to the incident, it had been engaging stakeholders in discussions aimed at releasing additional concessions to local communities as part of its community mining and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Adamus Resources Limited has urged individuals with grievances to pursue lawful channels in seeking redress rather than resorting to confrontation. It reiterated its readiness to engage stakeholders constructively to resolve legitimate concerns in accordance with the law and its corporate social responsibility commitments.