Three Atiwa communities call on government to help curb illegal mining

Residents of three communities in the Atiwa West District of the Eastern Region have appealed to the government to save them from the illegal mining activities in the area.

Residents of Akwaboaso, Akroful and Awerenare say apart from the daily threats to their lives, the illegal miners have taken over their farmlands and also polluted their sources of drinking water.

The residents also alleged that the district assembly and traditional authorities had failed to intervene in spite of several complaints to the authorities in the area.

They claimed that residents who attempted to challenge the activities of the illegal miners were subjected to beatings by the operators.

Residents cry

The residents, who spoke to the media during a visit by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, to the area, also alleged that the operators had been paying royalties to the traditional council empowering them to operate and did not care about the effects of their activities in the community.

During the tour, it was observed that River Birim, which is the main source of drinking water for residents, had turned yellowish brown as a result of the activities of the illegal miners.

“Many of our farmlands have been overtaken by these illegal miners,” one resident lamented.

The residents also expressed regret over the sharp increase in teenage pregnancy among other social vices in the area since the inception of the illegal mining activities.

Visit to mining companies

Nii Osah Mills – who was accompanied by the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, the Member of Parliament for Atiwa West, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, and some security personnel from the Forestry Commission – also visited some mining companies.

At Kibi Goldfields Limited, the Deputy Managing Director, Ing Emmanuel Adu Boateng, indicated that the company’s lands had been encroached on by estate developers and galamsey operators.

He said the company had undertaken some corporate social responsibilities which included the construction of a junior high school block at Abompe and the Chief’s Palace at Osino, the purchase of a generator for the Osino Government Hospital and the construction of durbar grounds at Akim Dwuaso.

Minister’s perspective

Nii Osah Mills expressed concern about the activities of the galamsey operators describing them as a criminal act.

He confirmed having received several reports on the activities including newspaper reports, which resulted in his decision to visit the degraded sites.

The Member of Parliament for Atiwa West, Mr Amoako Atta, said mining was a legitimate business and it should be done in the right way.

He said he would fight galamsey and deal with people who would take his constituency for granted.