Laws regulating the resettlement of communities for mining projects may be poorly defined and could result in delays to approvals that may affect the viability of operations or development projects, says Ghana-based gold mining company Golden Star Resources’ subsidiary Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) community relations and social responsibility manager Robert Gyamfi.

He explains that the resettlement of communities is a negotiated process whereby the community and mining company reach an agreement acceptable to all stakeholders, enabling access to the mineral resources to the benefit of the community, the country and the mining company.

While resettlements are legal and may be required to develop mineral resources, the task of achieving a negotiated resettlement agreement can be difficult.

Gyamfi emphasises that during resettlement negotiations, host communities grant a ‘social licence’ to companies wishing to develop and operate mines – which is beyond simply meeting all the legal requirements set by the host country.

Increasingly aware of how resettlement projects may affect this social licence, mining companies provide opportunities practitioners to grow their capacity through practical and specific resettlement training.

To ensure that Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) achieves a sustainable social licence to operate, Gyamfi recently completed the Community Relations Practice course offered by international consulting company Synergy Global, in partnership with University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry.

The course is part of a training programme aimed at creating a new generation of highly-skilled community relations practitioners who are sensitive to the unique challenges and solutions in the African context. Relevant content and creative training formats like role-play and case studies ensure that what is learned can be directly applied in the workplace.

“Mining companies need specialised technical skills to properly manage resettlement negotiations and then their implementation,” says Gyamfi. “It is also important that we continue to see resettlement and other social and community work as a core function within the overall mining operation. “We continue to work at embedding socioeconomic and community wellbeing into our day-to-day business.”

His role as a practitioner is to work within the customs and traditions of the community and the relevant legal framework aiming to identify needs and share information about the company’s operations and plans. As an ‘agent of change’, he discusses with communities how they see their priorities and helps to shape programmes and projects that can assist them to achieve their goals.

“Companies need to continue to develop a culture of information sharing with local stakeholder communities and to discuss their economic development priorities, programmes, performance and challenges to create a foundation of trust. This is vital for both parties, especially when regulations about each party’s rights and responsibilities are vague,” Gyamfi explains.

He believes that mining companies who recognise the need for a social licence are able to see more clearly how best to partner and pursue common goals with their stakeholder communities – right down to the level of identifying and developing appropriate social programmes and projects.

Mining companies who do this are also better equipped to identify potential social and development risks from a business perspective.