CSOs demand review of offshore gold licences
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to urgently review 10 offshore gold reconnaissance licences held by Gold Coast Resource Corp., citing concerns over Ghana’s fisheries, marine environment and coastal livelihoods. The organisations said the licences cover about 10,000 square kilometres along 300 kilometres of Ghana’s coastline, from […]…
A coalition of civil society organisations has urged President John Mahama to promptly reassess 10 offshore gold reconnaissance licences owned by Gold Coast Resource Corp. in Ghana. The groups, including Environmental Justice Foundation and Oxfam, argue these licences cover roughly 10,000 sq km along 300km of coast from Half Assini to Winneba, extending 33km out to sea.
They insist the licences intrude into Ghana's Inshore Exclusion Zone, though they note exact overlaps won't be known until official maps are released. The CSOs insist the licences must be reviewed before any intrusive exploration begins. They call for government to clarify whether the planned seismic surveys, core drilling and seabed sampling constitute legal reconnaissance activities as defined by Ghana's mining laws.
The organisations also warn these activities could disrupt marine fisheries, ecosystems and coastal communities, citing international case studies. The CSOs have five demands for the government: publish licence details, undertake a spatial assessment of the licences against protected marine areas, approve comprehensive impact assessments, and decide transparently about the licences' future.
Written by urgent.news from The Chronicle Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
