ACCRA, Ghana—(TWN-Af)-2 March, 2010— Mr.Richard Adjei-Poku, Executive Director of Livelihood and Environmental Ghana (LEG), an environmental and human rights advocacy organisation has denied allegations of extortion and theft made against him by Newmont Gold Ghana Ltd, NGGL . Newmont, he stated, is out to demonise and intimidate him as part of their strategy to silence critical voices in their area of operation.

He said this during a press conference facilitated by the National Coalition on Mining, NCOM, in Accra.

According to the release issued at the conference, Newmont’s allegations come against the backdrop of an 8 October 2009 incident, when there was a spillage of cyanide by NGGL into some water bodies at Jakakrom and surrounding communities near Kenyasi in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.

The release explains that “since the spillage, the Company [Newmont] has consistently embarked on image-destruction, acts of intimidation and harassment”—particularly against Adjei-Poku to the extent that on 15 January, 2010, Newmont officials “falsely accused” him of stealing roofing sheets...

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The National Coalition on Mining (NCOM) met in Accra in January to strategically review the last year and plan the course for 2010.

The Coalition discussed a range of issues including an update of complaints from communities affected by mining, policy reform agenda of the African Union–Economic Commission for Africa (AU-ECA), especially after the December 2009 Accra conference which was co-hosted with ECOWAS and TWN-Africa; the viability of the Gambia-based African Commission for Human and People’s Rights as another forum for addressing community rights; the new donor framework – the Natural Resource and Environmental Governance (NREG). NCOM members also reviewed the state of the Coalition as a framework for common and collaborative campaigns.

Read the rest here: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=278:ncom-meets-over-strategic-review&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

*View the pictures from the meeting here: http://apps.twnafrica.org/gallery/album.cfm?a=10587

*View the video clip of the meeting here: http://www.youtube.com/twnafrica

1. NCOM pushes for implementation of 6% mining royalty: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=274:ncom-pushes-for-implementation-of-6-mining-royalty-&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

2. Africa Update#1;Week of 25-29 January, 2010; Vol 2.1: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=275:africa-update1&catid=36:regional-integration&Itemid=83

3. STATEMENT OF NATIONAL COALITION ON MINING (NCOM) THURSDAY JANUARY 21ST, 2010: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=276:statement-of-national-coalition-on-mining-ncom-thursday-january-21st-2010&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75