Gwira Banso Is Now Safe Heavy For Illegal Small Scale Miners! ---But Chief Cum Military Officer Sits Unconcerned
What is surprised was that Nana Ette Akrade II who still in active service as military officer sits unconcerned for these illegal miners to mine gold indiscriminately in his community.
Freeman Koryekpor 
It has emerged that the illegal small scale mining activities, pupolarly known as galamsey operations are seriously ongoing at the backyard of the palace of Chief of Banso in the Gwira Traditional Area of the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Municipality of the Western Region, Nana Ette Akrade II.
What is surprised was that Nana Ette Akrade II who still in active service as military officer sits unconcerned for these illegal miners to mine gold indiscriminately in his community.
And although the chief was part of the delegation of chiefs from Gwira Traditional Council who travelled from Gwira to Accra a couple of days ago to lodge official complain against the Okoben Mining Company Limited for engaging in illegal mining activities on its gold mining concession at Dominase which had polluted river Akonbra and environment.
A video has showed how Nana Ette Akrade II, whose is called in military service as WOII Gerhart Yao Fugal allegedly endorsing illegal small scale mining activities which have rendered the river Akonbra, entire community, including the Banso’s backyard, deplorable.
It is very shameful and disgusting to see in a video that the illegal small scale mining activities were ongoing under jurisdiction of the Gwira Banso chief who was spotted in a video inciting the youths/residents of Gwira Traditional Area against the Managing Director (MD) of Okoben Mining Company Limited Nana Okoben Amponsah and his company.
In the earlier video, Nana Ette Akrade II accused the business mogul of engaging in illegal mining activities which has destroyed river Akonbra but look at how miners are indiscriminately mining gold resources is his backyard which is even worst than what he was fighting against.
However, a couple of days ago after the chief declared the war against Okoben, the illegal miners living in his Banso community have been spotted in a video which has been in possession of this news outlet using the Changfan machine and other mining equipment to engage in illegal small scale mining activities on river Akonbra at Gwira Banso without confrontation of Nana Ette Akrade II.
The video also showed the miners who used excavator to mine on the land of Gwira Banso, destroying water bodies, forest range reserves and environment on the blind side of the military task force [Operation Halt II team] against galamsey in water bodies.
The heartbreaking situation has informed the decision of the concerned citizens of the Gwira Banso to call on the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, immediately deploy the military task force to arrest the illegal small scale miners who are working on water bodies of the River Akonbra.
They accused Nana Ette Akrade II of allowing the illegal miners to engage in illegal mining activities in Banso which were polluting rivers, and degrading farmlands threatening food security and livelihood of small holder farmers.
They couldn't fathom why Nana Ette Akrade II who incited youths against mining company could not used his military position to invite the military task force to arrest these illegal miners on his land.
“Foreign national miners and local Ghanaians living in Gwira Banso have been allowed and in conjunction with chief of the town and are dangerously engaging in illegal mining on river Akonbra and environment in Gwira Banso. In face ,some of the mining sites almost end within the river bed causing so much discomfort and damages to the residents.
“It is rumoured that the chief of Banso Nana Ette Akrade II, has been selling diesel fuel to thousands of illegal small scale miners whowho working on the river Akonbra and environment," they disclosed.
The concerned residents wondered why Nana Ette Akrade II who is noted for supporting galamseyers in Banso could cover up himself and went ahead to be fighting against the company for doing illegal mining.
They pointed out that they are making ready to expose how the chief of Banso is selling diesel fuel to the illegal miners in Banso to power the illegal machines to mine gold illegally in the area.
They accused the chief of allegedly collecting a total of GH¢1000 as Banso community living fee from each of the illegal small scale miners before he would allow them to operate mining activities in his community
According to the residents, the chief also charged the illegal small scale miners of 20% on the gold resources mined on his land.
The residents indicated that the chief employed the guns weirdly macho-men to guide the illegal small scale miners to operate illegally on the Banso land which polluted water bodies and environment.
They noted the hired macho-men numbering about twenty who go to the various mining sites of these illegal miners to collect the charges from miners for the chief.
They wanted President Akufo-Addo to impress upon the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to call the chief and other accomplices to order to stop mining activities in the Gwira Banso community.
“Whilst we make this appeal for the intervention of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,we are ready to join hands to look at other means by which this menace can be thwarted legally."
The residents also implicated some political figures in the illegal mining activities in Gwira Banso.
