In 2008, ten communities in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana entered into agreements with Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd (Newmont Ghana), who had already begun mining in the area. The agreements included promises by the company to create local jobs and fund local development projects, and agreed-upon rules for how the communities and the company would interact and make decisions. Ten years later, this report looks at the communities’ experience of those agreements and suggests how they might be improved. The agreements were renegotiated in 2014, and likely will be renegotiated again in 2018 or 2019. Around the world, mining companies and project-affected communities are increasingly entering into agreements. In some countries, benefit-sharing agreements are required by law before a mining company can begin operations. In other countries, companies will enter into agreements voluntarily, so that local communities welcome the company, and to avoid the risk of any local conflict. Communities can use agreements to reaffirm their rights, obtain protections from the project’s negative impacts, and share in the project’s economic benefits. Ghana’s laws do not require community-company agreements.

Implementing the Ahafo Benefit Agreements: Seeking Meaningful Community Participation at Newmont’s Ahafo Gold Mine in Ghana

Resource Key: ELH65VD6

Document Type: Report

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  • CIRDI

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Date: 2018

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In 2008, ten communities in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana entered into agreements with Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd (Newmont Ghana), who had already begun mining in the area. The agreements included promises by the company to create local jobs and fund local development projects, and agreed-upon rules for how the communities and the company would interact and make decisions. Ten years later, this report looks at the communities’ experience of those agreements and suggests how they might be improved. The agreements were renegotiated in 2014, and likely will be renegotiated again in 2018 or 2019. Around the world, mining companies and project-affected communities are increasingly entering into agreements. In some countries, benefit-sharing agreements are required by law before a mining company can begin operations. In other countries, companies will enter into agreements voluntarily, so that local communities welcome the company, and to avoid the risk of any local conflict. Communities can use agreements to reaffirm their rights, obtain protections from the project’s negative impacts, and share in the project’s economic benefits. Ghana’s laws do not require community-company agreements.

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