The former Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni-Valley, Kwesi Blay, and a section of youth in the area have opposed calls for the revocation of Heath Goldfields’ Bogoso-Prestea mining lease, describing the demand as premature.
The position follows demands by Lawyer Martin Kpebu and the Catchment Area Community Alliance, who are calling on the government to terminate the company’s lease over alleged unmet expectations.
But speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of a solidarity walk dubbed “Heath Must Stay,” organised by the Catchment Communities for Heath Goldfields on Monday, April 27, Mr Blay and the youth group argued that the company should be allowed to continue operations.
They maintained that Heath Goldfields is already providing employment opportunities for young people in the area and has indicated plans to expand its workforce.
“I am more than 2 million per cent for Heath to stay. As I indicated earlier, it is too early for us to agitate that they should leave. What is their crime? I am for Heath because, one, it’s a Ghanaian mining company.
“Whatever money they get, at the end of the day, it will stay in the country. Now, our guys need employment; they need to be employed. So why are we asking them to leave?” he said.
