SMI Seminar Series: 'Community development agreements in Ghana’s mining sector: a panacea for company/community conflicts?'

Event Details

Date:

Thursday, 22 October 2015

Time:

10:00 am - 11:00 am

Room:

Level 4 Seminar Room

UQ Location:

Sir James Foots Building (St Lucia)

Event category(s):

Full Description:: This week the Sustainable Minerals Institute will host Richard Ellimah, who will be presenting a seminar on 'Community development agreements in Ghana’s mining sector: a panacea for company/community conflicts?' Community Development Agreements are becoming an important tool used by mining companies around the world to acquire social license. In Ghana multinational mining companies like Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, AngloGold Ashanti and Golden Star Resources have a form of agreement with their host communities. The key question that arises is whether these Community Development Agreements are enough to address the development challenges of mining communities who have had to take up arms against the companies for “neglecting” them. Born in Ghana’s mineral-rich city of Obuasi, Richard has dedicated his professional life in the interest of mining-affected communities. Through Centre for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS), where he serves as Executive Director, he has led a number of research activities that focused on management of mining revenues by district assemblies, participation of socially excluded groups in local governance and enhancing participation of community groups in the design of Community Development Agreements. He holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees In Development Planning and Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He reads and writes as a hobby.