Wacam Chairman Bows Out

Mr John Alexander Osei, Chairman of the Executive Council of Wacam, a human rights, environmental and mining advocacy non-governmental organisation (NGO), has retired.

Speaking at a send-off ceremony at Ayensukrom, near Tarkwa in the Western Region, Mr Osei said age was telling on him and has, therefore, decided to step aside.

Mr. Osei, who is a founding member of Wacam, would be remembered for his presentation against the suggestion that mining should be used to determine growth-pole centres in Ghana.

Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, Associate Executive Director of Wacam, thanked Mr. Osei for his invaluable contribution to the organisation.

Mr Osei was presented with a kente cloth, sandals and an undisclosed sum of money.

In another development, at New Atuabo, near Tarkwa, Mrs Agnes Ackun, Executive Council Member of Wacam, also decided to step aside because of ageing.

Mrs Ackun was one of the leaders of the about five per cent of residents of Old Atuabo, who refused to accept the compensation offered by Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), when it decided to relocate them to New Atuabo.

The group, with the assistance of Wacam took GFGL to court and the court ordered the company to improve the compensation package.

It was ordered to increase the number of rooms it was offering as well as the amount of money.

The victorious litigants relinquished part of their compensation for the construction of a clinic and the sinking of two boreholes at their new location at New Atuabo.

Mrs. Owusu-Koranteng congratulated Mrs. Ackun for her great contribution, especially to the women's wing of Wacam.

Mrs. Ackun was also presented with kente cloth, sandals and an undisclosed sum of money.

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