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Case Study: Ghana

This is exactly what happened in rural Ghana when the

Endeavour Mining Company sought to extract the gold

ore located at Nzema. Given the geology of the region,

the most efficient means of extraction was deemed

to be open-cast mining, which would be hazardous to

those living in the nearby Salman village.

Negotiations for resettlement were integral to mining

approval and were conducted over a two-year period,

beginning in 2008 and culminating in the signing of the

Resettlement Agreement in May 2010 and a subsequent

Memorandum of Understanding in October 2010.

These documents, in addition to the Resettlement Action

Plan, became the blueprint for the resettlement of the new

Salman township, which involved resettling 2 200 people

at a new 250-acre site a kilometre from the mine.

Endeavour elected to use Hydraform brick technology

because the building blocks are cooler and stronger than

more commonly used cement blocks. In addition, as the

purchase price of the block-making equipment includes

training, locals were instructed in the process of brick-

making as well as in maintenance of the block-making

equipment, thereby helping to create a sustainable local

industry. Naturally, the equipment was donated to the

community after the construction project was completed.

Resettling a

community

Opencast mining can be hazardous to people living in the vicinity

and since the minerals can’t be moved before extraction, the people

must be resettled.

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