97-year-old farmer around Newmont Ahafo North mine appeals for President Mahama's intervention

Madam Ama Serwaa, a 97-year-old farmer at Techire, whose farms and properties were affected by the Ahafo North Mine of the Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region says live remained uncomfortable now.

She said she was finding it difficult to pay her medical bills and also to fend for the upkeep of her family because the mine had failed to pay her due compensation.

Mad Serwaa appealed for President John Dramani Mahama's intervention for the payment of her compensation, saying that the mine destroyed her 155 acres of farms comprising oil palm and teak plantations as well as some food crops.

She shared her sentiments during a news conference at Techire, a mining community and organised by some aggrieved farmers whose crops and properties were affected by the operations of the Newmont Ahafo North mine.

Another aggrieved farmer also told the media that her poultry farm was affected by the operations of the mine, alleging that she had not received compensation from the mine.

Earlier addressing the news conference, Mr Bismark Oduro Mensah, the chairman of the Concerned Farmers Association in the area said it was unfortunate that the mine had failed to pay them their compensation for years now it commenced actual mining in the area.

He said the association comprised affected farmers spread across Afrisakrom, Terchire, Susuanso and Adrobaa mining communities.

Mr Mensah worried that the operations of the mine had worsened the economic livelihoods of the farmers in the area.

Sompaonline.come/Stella Kyere