Local Communities Seek Meaningful Involvement in Mining CSR Initiatives
Participants in a forum have urged mining companies to increase community engagement in the planning and implementation of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.
They emphasised that meaningful involvement was crucial for ensuring CSR initiatives were mutually beneficial to both the companies and local communities.
Mr. Kwesi Aduakwah, a Wacam member in Tarkwa, highlighted the importance of community involvement in CSR projects of mining companies, stating, "Active participation ensures projects align with community needs, foster trust, enhance sustainability, and promote transparency, ultimately driving economic development."
Brahabebome resident and cocoa farmer, Mr. Albert Kingsley Prah, found the workshop enlightening, pledging to "educate my community on engaging mining companies regarding CSR projects."
The forum, organised by Wacam in collaboration with Friends of the Nation (FoN), brought together over 35 representatives of Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) from various communities in Tarkwa, Western Region.
It aimed to build the capacity of the participants to track CSR spending and promote effective community engagement in the mining sector.
During the forum, a Programs Officer at FoN, William Augustine Dankyi, delivered a presentation on ‘Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) of CSR Projects.’
He highlighted the importance of community-led monitoring and evaluation in ensuring CSR projects meet community needs and priorities.
“You should be able to voice out projects that will impact your lives," he urged the participants, emphasising the importance of community engagement in shaping meaningful initiatives.
He said such training empower mining communities with the knowledge and tools to ensure that CSR initiatives align with community development aspirations and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.)
Furthermore, Mr. Dankyi took the participants through the various PM& tools, including: community score card, citizen report card, focus group discussions, in-person interviews, community mapping, and gender role analysis.
These tools, he said, empower communities to actively monitor and evaluate projects, promoting transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making for sustainable development outcomes.
The Associate Executive Director of Wacam, Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, who spoke on ‘Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Mining Sector’, stated that effective CSR in the mining sector required genuine commitment to ethical business practices, community engagement, and transparency.
She criticised the practice of mining companies using CSR as a public relations tool, stressing that mining communities should instead be actively involved in setting CSR priorities to address their genuine needs.
She said despite CSR initiatives, mining communities still face numerous challenges, including displacement and loss of livelihoods, cyanide spillages, improper disposal of mine waste, water pollution, human rights abuses, and resettlement issues.
To this end, she called on mining companies to incorporate environmental, social, and cultural costs into their business operations."
Participants later commended the program organisers, with Ms. Rose Mensah from Tarkwa Banso expressing particular gratitude to Wacam.