Youth Unemployment and Lack of Potable Water Remain Major Challenges – Assembly Member for Sheaga Electoral Area
The Talensi District, one of the 15 administrative districts in the Upper East Region, holds significant economic potential due to its strategic location and rich mineral resources. However, despite its advantages, the district continues to grapple with persistent challenges, particularly youth unemployment and inadequate access to potable drinking water.
In an interview on the BlueWaves Breakfast Show, the Assembly Member for the Sheaga Electoral Area and Chairman of the Justice and Security Sub-Committee of the Talensi District Assembly, Mr. Augustine Mmi-oni Guure, expressed deep concern over the situation. He lamented the lack of basic social amenities in communities such as Sheaga and Gbani, where residents still share water sources with animals.
“I can tell you that in my community, people still share water with animals,” he said. “This is a situation that worries me as an Assembly Member.”
Mr. Mmi-oni Guure noted that despite the presence of several mining companies in the district, their contribution to community development remains negligible. He emphasized that providing humanitarian support should form an essential part of the social responsibility of mining companies, but in Talensi, that obligation appears to be neglected.
Addressing the issue of unemployment, he accused the mining firms of failing to employ local youth, thereby worsening the economic hardship in the area. He specifically called on Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd. and Earl International Group to halt the alleged harassment of youth engaged in legitimate small-scale mining activities.
Mr. Mmi-oni Guure warned that the continued neglect of these issues could have dire consequences for the district.
“The youth are now being forced to engage in illegal activities because they have no jobs to do,” he stated.
He appealed to both government authorities and the mining companies to take urgent action to address these challenges, emphasizing that doing so would not only improve livelihoods but also enhance peace and security within the Talensi District.
By: Maurice Duncan
