Wacam, in partnership with UK-based charitable trust Gower Street, has organised successive Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) forums in Breman-Brofoyedur, Central Region and Bonyere in the Jomoro District, Western Region.
The goal was to strengthen community groups’ knowledge and use of FPIC, enabling them to present a unified voice on mining and oil and gas decisions and effects.
The forum also aimed to encourage active participation in local government decision-making processes, influencing policy change and practices that benefit communities, protect their rights, and preserve the environment.
The Breman-Brofoyedur meeting, held on June 10, 2025, brought together over thirty (30) Concerned Farmers Association-Breman (CFAB) members from communities affected by Perseus Mining Ghana Limited’s (PMGL) operations including Breman-Brofoyedur and Ayanfuri.
Since 2019, PMGL’s activities have disrupted livelihoods in Breman-Brofoyedur. In August 2024, three CFAB members reported losses due to Perseus’ exploratory activities, including Emmanuel Boampong, the Chief Farmer, who lost 10 cocoa trees, Akwasi Mensa, who had approximately 50 cocoa trees destroyed, and Nana Akua, who lost 4 cocoa trees.
Some members recounted disquieting experiences, including human rights infractions at the hands of Perseus. Madam Janet Kumi, a cocoa farmer, shared a harrowing experience: “Our whole cocoa farm was razed down by the mining company without our knowledge. When we confronted Perseus, they claimed a family member had sold the land to them, but that family member had no mandate or right to sell the land whatsoever,” she said.
Paul Kwao, a cocoa farmer in Breman-Brofoyedur, also shared his experience, stating that Minerals Commission officers in the district urged him to give his land to the company and accept compensation, warning that failure to comply would result in the state forcibly taking his land for the mining company.
Maame Boakye expressed her frustration, questioning why the District Chief Executive (DCE) and some Perseus officers would visit her, demanding that she sells her land to the mining company.
In light of the struggles faced by CFAB members, the Technical Director of Wacam, Lawyer Kwaku Afari, emphasised the importance of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) in empowering them to assert their rights.
He explained that FPIC is a fundamental principle that ensures communities have the right to give or withhold their consent to projects that may affect their lands, territories, and resources.
“By understanding and exercising their FPIC rights, CFAB members can better protect their interests and livelihoods,” he indicated.
He went on to also advise them to gather evidence whenever their rights are infringed upon and their properties are destroyed, emphasising its importance in building a strong case to demand justice.
“Your first port of call whenever your rights are violated or properties are destroyed without your consent is to formally lodge a complaint at the nearest police station,” he told the participants.
The Technical Director of Wacam urged them to remain united and focused, supporting one another whenever any member faces rights violations at the hands of the mining company.
“The approach where you always complain and do not take action will not help you achieve your goals,” Lawyer Afari noted.
Earlier, Wacam’s Communications Officer, Dennis Ato Keelson, mentioned that Gower Street has been supporting Wacam to empower communities affected by mining and oil and gas activities in Ghana.
This support, he indicated, focuses on climate change and environmental protection, enabling these communities to better understand and assert their rights.
The Wacam Zonal Officer, Mr. Nyame, warned participants about the “divide-and-rule tactics” often used by especially mining companies, cautioning them against accepting inadequate compensation that might lead to future regrets. He stated the importance of considering long-term consequences, stating, “Life is not all about money, but leaving a lasting legacy behind.”
The Bonyere forum, which was held in Bonyere, Jomoro District, on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, was attended by 42 participants including farmers, former Assembly members, and traditional authorities. This community and many others have been impacted by the previous government’s acquisition of approximately 20,000 acres for the Petroleum Hub Development Project, highlighting the need for dialogue and policy review on land acquisition.
The acquisition of the 20,000 acres through compulsory land acquisition, which sidelined FPIC, continues to brew tension in the district, underscoring the importance of addressing community concerns.
Speaking to the participants, the Associate Executive Director of Wacam, Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, stressed the principles of FPIC offers community people the opportunity to say yes or no to a mining or oil and gas related project that is about to take place. She took pains to educate them on the FPIC principles, underscoring that it was not a one off-process.
However, she lamented that oftentimes community people’s rights have been violated by mining and oil and gas companies and they are also sidelined because of their lack of knowledge in things like FPIC.
According to her, Wacam does not compel community people to either say no or yes to an impending mining or oil and gas project in their communities but offers them education to enable them to take a decision which will be in their own interest and to assert their rights.
For his part, Lawyer Afari attributed the state’s compulsory land acquisition for mining and oil/gas projects to growing community empowerment. He explained that civil society advocacy has empowered communities to resist companies harming people and the environment.
Story By: Dennis Ato Keelson
