National Coalition on Mining (NCOM) is a network of organizations, communities, and individuals concerned about mining and environmental preservation. On June 3, the NCOM held its monthly meeting in the conference room of Third World Network-Africa. At the meeting, the Coalition issued a powerful statement in response to the 80th anniversary celebration of the Ghana Chamber of Mines.
As part of its national campaign to stop violence and human rights abuses in mining the Coalition proceeded to hold a meeting with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. At the meeting it was agreed as follows:
1. To conduct investigation on the role of the military in policing mining projects and mine installations.
2. The A-G will work with the Ghana Legal Aid Board to provide free legal services for victims of human rights violations in mining communities in Ghana.
3. The A-G office will also liaise with the Ghana Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice to pick up some specific and urgent cases the Coalition brought before the two institutions.
4. To call a meeting of all state security agencies implicated in mining related violence and human rights abuses to address the problem.
5. To constitute an internal working team to draft some way forward and invite the Coalition for feedback and further discussion.
Since 2004, Greengrants has made three grants ranging from $4,000 to $5,000 to support community efforts to protect forests and ensure that local affected communities and the people of Ghana receive equitable benefits from mining. In addition to funding NCOM, Greengrants has supported nearly all the organizations listed in their press release as signatories.