The youth and some traditional leaders in the Talensi district of the Upper East Region have called on two mining companies; Cardinal Mining Company and Earl International Limited to take the development and health of the people of the area seriously.
According to the youth despite the presence of the two mining companies, the district has been grappling with rising challenges such as youth unemployment, a dearth of skill development opportunities, and escalating health-related challenges.
They say one of the most pressing concerns was the upsurge in youth unemployment as job opportunities for the youth remain scarce in the area.
The youth noted that health-related issues have also gained prominence in recent years as there has been a noticeable upswing in health problems among children and adults including respiratory issues and water contamination.
The leader of the youth leader, Bismark Zumah who spoke to the media emphasised the need for immediate action to safeguard the health and well-being of the community members.
“We are not Doctors or Nurses but we have relatives and friends who are and we can say that there has been a noticeable uptick in health problems among our children, wives, and brothers, including respiratory issues and water contamination and the lack of access to quality healthcare facilities and services only compound these problems.”
Also, “the absence of skill development programmes exacerbates this issue, leaving young people ill-equipped to participate in the mining sector or other emerging industries,” the youth leader added.
For their voices to be heard, Mr. Zumah indicated that they have formed a registered civil society group called Talensi Mining Communities Initiative that aimed at addressing the long-standing concerns of youth unemployment and its related challenges.
The group he said has already drafted an employment agreement proposal with a proactive 9-member committee to be presented to one of the mining companies, Cardinal Mining Company for onward actions.
This endeavour he indicated was aligned with the Local Content and Local Participation Regulations 2020 (L.I. 3421) and takes inspiration from Minerals and Mining Regulations (L.I. 2174 and L.I. 2175) and best practices observed in other mining communities across Ghana.
