The chief, elders, and inhabitants of Kwahu Daa in the Kwahu West Municipality of the Eastern Region are agitating against the attempt to bring community mining to the area.
The community has staged a protest to reject it and warned the Member of Parliament for Kwahu West Joseph Frempong to stay away.
The residents contend that community mining will degrade arable farmlands in the area and pollute river bodies as experienced in other mining areas in parts of the country.
The Chief of Kwahu Daa, a farming community, Nana Amakye Appiah claimed that the MP came to them to submit a letter of notification about the intended mining.
He however said, the community is vehemently against it and will do everything possible to mount spirited rejection.
“The MP brought a letter to us that community mining has been approved in the community. But we want to tell the MP that we don’t like community mining in any form. We sold several bags of cocoa this season, we can’t allow our cocoa farms, plantains, and cocoyam farms to go to waste. We love our farming and the income it brings to us.” The Chief of Kwahu Daa stated.
Some of the angry residents warned to vote against the MP should he use all means to bring community mining to the area.
Ghana is struggling to stop destructive activities of illegal and irresponsible mining causing serious degradation and pollution of water bodies.
President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, 25th July 2019, launched the Community Mining Programme at Wassa Akropong, in the Western Region.
The Community Mining Programme is aimed at formalizing mining in selected communities across the country.
However, the scheme has been severely criticized by environmental activists as illegal mining in disguise since the community miners do not adhere to mining regulations.
Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin stated in 2021 that the traditional was no longer going to tolerate the community mining policy since it is illegal mining in disguise.
‘They are destroying lands and rivers. The last time the Minister of Lands and Natural resources came here, I told him point-blank that, they shouldn’t deceive us with Community mining, It will end nowhere. Community mining is like an uncle or Senior brother of galamsey. They degrade lands and pollute river bodies just as galamsey.
There is no accountability, no reclamation. But they say it is government policy. We will not allow this to continue because when the rivers are destroyed [Minister] they don’t blame the MCE but rather the Okyenhene. After all, the lands belong to me”. Okyenhene fumed.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
