The Akanten Traditional Stool Clark in the West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region, Mr.Adonteng Samuel has revealed that Chiefs in the Area have lost control in the fight against illegal mining popularly known as Galamsey due external forces and control.
According to him, Chiefs and farmers cannot go to farm and site for the illegal mining to stop them because the miners are being protected by Armed Security Personals.
Addressing Stakeholders at Asamankese during a crunch meeting to find solution to the menace of illegal mining in Akanten, Mr.Adonteng Samuel claimed that some of the illegal miners recently used Excavator machine to kill a colleague miner and another man stormed the Chief Palace and warned the chief not to intervene in his land sold to the miners.
He said officials of Ghana Consolidated Diamond Limited have also been stopping Chiefs from intervening in some Land sold to the miners, calling on Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as matter of urgency to come to their aid to save lives, farm land and rivers.
The stakeholders meeting was organized by Okyeman Environmental Foundation with support from UNDP,WHO and Ghana Health Service giving Technical support to save lives and properties.
Mr. Paul Twene, Eastern Regional Coordinator of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI),in an interview said the Health of the People in Akanten is their concern, hence, their involvement.
West Akyem Municipal Director of Health Services, Dr. Samuel Agyeman Boateng said he was shocked when he entered the Town recently to visit Health Workers in the Area.
According to him, most cases of skin rushes in the Municipality are coming from Akanten and said the future of the life of the people is at risk.
Due to threats from the Armed Illegal Miners, Officials from the Forestry Commission, National Disaster Management Organisation and others are failing to visit the mining sites and gather report for action.
Source: mybrytfmonline/ Mensah Atakora
