In a post-handover appeal, Odeneho Akrofa Krukoko III, Paramount Chief of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, has called on Engineers and Planners (E&P), the new operators of the Damang Gold Mine, to strictly adhere to the community development plans he outlined during the official takeover ceremony.
The Paramount Chief made the remarks in a sideline interview shortly after the handing over ceremony, where Gold Fields officially transferred operations to the Ghanaian mining firm, Engineers and Planners.
“I welcomed them with clear terms,” Odeneho Akrofa Krukoko III stated. “Now that the papers are signed, I expect them to respect the development blueprint we discussed. Those plans are not suggestions they are commitments to my people.”
The Chief specifically stressed the need for E&P to prioritize skills training and employment for the youth within the mine’s catchment communities.
He noted that while mining brings revenue, its lasting legacy will be measured by how many local young people gain sustainable livelihoods.
“Nurture more of our youth,” he urged. “The communities surrounding this mine have borne the disruptions. They must now see tangible benefits—jobs, apprenticeships, and enterprise support. A mine that ignores its host communities will not prosper.”
Odeneho Akrofa Krukoko III further reminded the new operators that traditional authorities remain key partners in maintaining industrial harmony, warning that any deviation from the agreed social development plan could undermine trust.
Engineers and Planners officially took over operations at Damang following regulatory approval, promising to retain local workers and expand production.
However, the Chief’s intervention underscores lingering community anxiety over whether new management will honor legacy agreements.
“I will hold them accountable, just as I did the previous operators,” the Chief concluded. “Development is a pact, not a promise spoken once and forgotten.”
The Damang Gold Mine remains one of Ghana’s key gold-producing assets, with its host communities closely watching the transition’s impact on local employment and infrastructure development.
By Ebenezer Atiemo
