Amomabra River Destruction: Jinijini Residents Threaten Protests And Invoke Curses Over NDC officials Galamsey Involvement

Traditional leaders in Jinijini, the capital of the Berekum West District in the Bono Region, have performed rituals to invoke curses on individuals, government officials, and top National Democratic Congress (NDC) executives who are allegedly protecting illegal miners destroying the Amomabra River on Atonia family land.

They complained that galamsey activities polluted the River, killing sacred mad fishes and ruining water supplies for cocoa farms.

Fuming with anger, residents threatened a demonstration on Monday, July 27, 2026, complaining that illegal mining (galamsey) activities had polluted the river, killed sacred mudfish, and ruined water supplies for cocoa farms while accusing local government officials and the police of inaction. 

In a viral video, a local resident wearing traditional cloth held a bottle of schnapp to invoke curses against illegal miners and their pay masters.

He called upon local deities and river gods to strike down the key figures behind the illegal small-scale mining operations that are killing the sacred fish in the Amomabra River. 

He said illegal miners entered the town four months ago to start operations. 

According to the man local security, police, and the District Chief Executive (DCE) ignored reports because they allegedly have ties to the miners.

He complained bitterly that the sacred fishes in the Jinijini river are traditional deities, and their destruction risks bringing a calamity to the people in Jinijini community.

He accused the government and police officials of colluding with the miners to destroy their river and environment.

The water is too polluted to drink or use for nursing cocoa trees on farms.

He lamented that both the Member of Parliament (MP) and the DCE refused to remove the miners who are destroying local water sources and farmlands.

He further accused the senior police commander for falsely claiming that mining is not damaging the water bodies.

He noted that President John Dramani Mahama called for an end to illegal mining activities and successfully had the court prosecute and sentence Chairman Wontumi to 20 years in prison. 

However, he expressed disappointment that the President appears unconcerned about government officials and top executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) engaging in similar illegal small-scale mining activities in Jinijini.

"The same illegal mining charges were brought against Chairman Wontumi, leading the court to sentence him to 20 years in prison," he was heard saying in a video obtained by this newspaper.

 "Yet, interestingly, these exact same illegal small-scale mining activities are actively ongoing in the Jinijini community, involving NDC executives and government officials," he disclosed.

He added that they were restraining themselves from taking the law into their own hands so that the people would not blame the Akonta family in Jinijini.

He warned that local residents are prepared to stage a demonstration on Monday, July 27, 2026, if the Regional Minister, Member of Parliament, District Chief Executive (DCE), and police officers fail to act on their complaints and clamp down on the illegal miners in the area.

"We will demonstrate and block the access roads leading to the Sunyani and Kenyase communities unless the government officers kill us here," he stated.

"We are saying that government officers are actively engaging in these illegalities in Jinijini," he complained. 

"We have reported these ongoing illegal acts to the MP, MCE, Regional Minister, and police commander to come and stop these miners, but these officers have refused to show up."