By Isaac Ato MENSAH
Kyebi – 11 February, 2019
We have been conducting social science research on the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.
This article is to draw attention to some of the important issues at stake.
“The Nana has not hidden his intentions that he does not want the mining of bauxite in the Atewa Forest but he is so powerless to stop Nana” – Deep Throat.
But DM Ofori-Atta, the Okyenhene’s spokesperson spoke on the record with a recorder in full view on the table and with academics present who also spoke their minds freely.
Ofori-Atta spoke in his personal capacity at a focus group discussion (FGD) and the university will publish the findings anyway so we breach no journalism ethics.
‘The Okyenhene, king of Akyem Abuakwa traditional area of the Eastern Region of Ghana, does not want to speak on the Atewa Forest anymore,’ says Ofori-Atta.
He explained convincingly that people entering the forest to hunt game are not as destructive as the gold mining activities of Newmont in the Kwaebibirim Off Reserve, also an Akyem forest.
Meanwhile some 100KM south in Accra, as Ofori-Atta was speaking, the Institute of Public Relations Ghana was preparing to award Adikie Ayitevie, Newmont’s Vice-President for Sustainability and External Relations as the PR Personality of the Year 2017.
Yes, 2017, which clearly suggests that IPR-GHANA is not at the cutting edge of data collection to determine even its own awards. What national policies then can they advice on?
At the FGD under the trees at Abuakwa State College in Kyebi last week, while sitting on oversized garden chairs designed with no thought for the spine, it was clear that our participants had done their research with just 24 hour notice.
‘The Atewa Forest absorbs 200 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide a year,’ said a chemistry teacher.
‘Some say the carbon dioxide in Accra will be absorbed by the Atewa Forest which is an hour’s drive away but it doesn’t work like that,’ explained another chemistry teacher. ‘We need to plant trees in Accra. Carbon Dioxide is one of the green house gases and it traps the heat from escaping the surface of the earth.’
The Ghana Journalist Association code of ethics says that it is unethical to refrain from publishing due to monetary influence or self censorship.
Selfishness, greed, pernicious politics and numerous other vices are involved in this matter; it can even pass for a TV series or a book – novel or non-fiction on the NY Times Bestseller list.
Sad indeed.
THE NANA does not want to talk about this matter publicly again.
But I will quote his spokesperson. OR I should also be quiet……and collect something?
From opinion polls to FGDs, everybody is disillusioned because of the SHEER GREED on the part of people they no longer see as family but JUST POLITRICKCIANS.
Some estimates say there are at least 360 million tonnes of bauxite to be mined and at the current bauxite market price of US$2K, the Ghana government is looking at over US$500 billion it could count on as revenue.
But my mentor cautions that this is shoddy analysis.
A chemistry teacher at the FGD agrees, referencing the oil and gas debates of some 12 years ago when Ghana first discovered crude oil.
The fear is that once the previous administration gave the Kyebi bauxite mining license to the former president’s brother, if he wins his re-election campaign, John Mahama will continue that agenda so why not dig in now.
Independent engineers have estimated that the government of Ghana will get only around 10 percent revenue from whatever figures anyone produces.
The Chinese are bringing all the cash, equipment and expertise and the nation’s equity contribution is the bauxite.
If the Chinese government which is reportedly investing US$600 million into mining bauxite here withdraws after 20 years, the equipment will have become obsolete and worn out, and will require replacement when the government of Ghana takes over the asset.
If you are moved to pity for this nation and wish that the powers that be read this blog and respond, we can assure you that they do read our articles religiously.
Here is my mentor’s take on why they will not respond.
‘What are they going to write? What will they say?
A thief will always slink away; and try to hide from the searing light of rigorous analysis.
They are just praying that if they keep quiet long enough, you will get tired and stop…..and go away.’
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