NPP Gurus Endorsing Galamsey Operations For Foreign Nationals In Gwira ---Tufuhene Of Gwira Assuawuah
The chief once again accused some current government appointees of hiring of macho-men to give security protection to the three illegal Chinese gold mining companies which are mining gold in Gwira Assuawuah in the blind side of the state mining regulatory institutions including anti-galamsey military taskforce.
Freeman Koryekpor 
Tufuhene of Assuawuah in Gwira Traditional Area in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Municipality of the Western Region, Nana Addae Blay V, has dropped another bombshells on how some politicians who supposed to the members of the New Patriotic Patty (NPP) in the Western Region have massively endorsing the illegal mining activities of unregistered gold mining companies of some foreign nationals.
He pointed out that these unregistered illegal mining companies are owned by three Chinese national which are engaging in illegal mining activities which has destroyed river Akonbra, other water streams and farm lands in Gwira Assuawuah enclave.
The chief once again accused some current government appointees of hiring of macho-men to give security protection to the three illegal Chinese gold mining companies which are mining gold in Gwira Assuawuah in the blind side of the state mining regulatory institutions including anti-galamsey military taskforce.
The chief pointed out that the government appointees are losing the fight to help the government of President Akufo-Addo to flush out these illegal foreign nationals who had invaded the communities such as Sefwi Asawinso, Diaso, Wassa Jokwaa, Wassa Akropong, Hiawa Bekwai, Prestea, Pepoase, Gwira Wiaso Gwira Tumantu, Assuawuah and Gwira Banso.
These communities, the Tufahene noted, are the source of the river Ankobra, explaining that the illegal mining activities of the Chinese galamseyers from the above mentioned communities have also polluted Akonbra and other water bodies and forest range reserves.
Nana Addae Blay V has shared series of documentary envidence which revealed how these illegal Chinese miners are using heavy mining excavators and mining equipment to mine gold deep on the water bodies of Ankobra River, farm lands and forest range reserves Gwira Assuawuah enclave.
"What l am saying to the general public today is not that a hear say, l personally went to the inspection yours on these sites of these illegal miners who are from Mali, Niger, China and Russia who are currently on the water bodies of Ankobra River and farm lands mining gold indiscriminately with the security protection of the macho-men being hired by some politicians of the current government.
"And whenever we approached these illegal miners and asked them to stop their illegal mining activities, they would make it clear to us that they are the people who supported the footsolders of the NPP who worked for the wining of political power of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and New Patriotic Patty NPP government," Nana Addae Blay V dropped the hint when he was speaking on Kasapa TV in Accra on Wednesday February 22, 2023.
Nana Addae Blay V pointed that the politicians compromise the fight against illegal mining activities in the Gwira and its adjoining communities and that they walked over the traditional office holders in the Gwira Traditional Area to give out their lands to illegal foreign nationals to mine gold without recourse to the Minerals and Mining Act , 2006. Act 703.
The chief stressed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo can win the war against illegal mining activities when he adopted another effective security measures to arrest the politicians by way of naming and shaming them, saying that the system has been compromised by the state officials that the President has tasked to fight against the manace.
When the host asked Nana Addae Blay V whether the Deputy Minster for Lands and National Resources, who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, Mr George Mireku Duker who is responsible for fighting illegal mining activities is able enough to lead the fight against menace in the country, the chief responded that the compromise of the work in fighting against the manace is too big."
He stressed that it is a high time for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his NPP government should sit up to ensure that he still help fight against the menace.
The chief pointed out that looking at the high level of the activities ongoing in water bodies forest reserves in the communities in Gwira Traditional Area, the individual personalities assigned to help the government fight against the illegal small scale mining activities have failed the President.
He added that there are pieces of documentary envidence that the Ministers and and state appointees in the mining regulatory institutions had compromised their professions with the fight against illegal miners, because they have allegedly took goodies from the illegal small scale mining companies and miners.
"For seek of the God, Honorable George Mireku Duker himself is not engaging in the illegal small scale mining activities, but if l mention the names of the politicians of the current government who are coming to us to request for lands to do illegal small scale mining activities you will shock, so l am urging President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to wake up from his slumber to step his feet on the grounds if not his appointees would sabotage his efforts in the fighting against illegal mining activities in the region," Nana Addae Blay V revealed.
He pointed out there are no true that the Ankobra River is clean now, adding that the
pollution of the Ankobra River which passes through the Ellembelle District and the Nzema East Municipality has worsened following a surge in illegal mining activities along the stretch.
Tendering state of yellow colour of Ankobra River to prove his claim, the Tufuhene pointed out that the aerial photographs of the river on Thursday February 16, 2023 show that illegal miners are having a field day as the colour of the River has changed from its natural state to brown.
He asserted that residents of the Ankobra community located on the banks of the River are unable to use the water for house chores due to its current state.
The Ankobra Beach Resort which is also located not too far from where the Ankobra River estuary, is likely not to attract tourists who usually come for surfing when the country’s borders are finally opened.
This is because the polluted river Ankobra enters into what used to be a beautiful Ankobra Beach Resort.
Meanwhile investigations by these senior journalists on Thursday 16, 2023, point out that Mr Duker, Western Regional Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission, Chief of Gwira Banso Nana Ette Akrade II, have not been able to protect River Akonbra and lands from illegal mining activities.
This news outlet can report that the rate at which illegal miners have degraded lands in the Gwira Banso and polluted River Akonbra is very troubling, and that if care is not taken, the entire Gwira Banso chief’s palace will be invaded by illegal miners, hence the need for all residents to support the fight against the menace by the government.
Interestingly, the journalists saw how the illegal miners were indiscriminately working under the jurisdiction of the Gwira Banso chief who was spotted in a video during a funeral in Gwira inciting the youth to rise against Okoben Mining Company Limited, accusing the company of engaging in responsible mining activities.
However, a fact-finding mission to Gwira Banso on Thursday, February 16,:2023, showed the illegal miners using Changfan machines and other heavy mining equipment to engage in illegal small scale mining activities in River Akonbra at Gwira Banso.
The investigations further revealed that these illegal miners use excavators to mine on the lands of Gwira Banso and end up destroying water bodies such as Ankobra, forest range reserves and the environment on the blind side of Nana Ette Akrade II and the military task force (Operation Halt II Team) against galamsey in water bodies.
Our findings also discovered that persons who indulge in small scale illegal mining in Gwira Banso do not only operate during the day, but also at night.
It further emerged that some traditional office holders and top politicians were in support of these illegal miners.
"These illegal miners have come from Mali, Niger, China and when we confront them to stop their illegal activities, they boldly tell you that they had paid money to the traditional authorities in Banso who has allowed us to mine in Gwira Banso community and that nobody can stop their operations on the lands and water bodies.”
"So you may see a place where there is no destruction, but by the time you wake up…it has been mined. Within two hours, these guys can do whatever damage they want to do,” some concerned residents of Gwira Banso told the senior journalists.
This heartbreaking situation has, however, informed the decision of the concerned citizens of Gwira Banso and Tufuhene of Assuawuah in Gwira Traditional Area to call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately deploy the military task force to arrest the illegal miners.
