Okyenhene Kick Against Community Mining, Referred It as 'Senior' Galamsey
Okyenhene revealed that he has personally told the President that he will not allow community mining to go on his land.
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The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has cautioned that the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council will no longer tolerate community mining policy introduced by the Akufo Addo led government.
He cited that the policy is complete illegal mining in disguise causing serious destruction to lands and water bodies in the Akyem area.
The Community Mining Programme was aimed at formalizing mining in selected communities across the country.
Addressing the Eastern Regional Minister and his entourage who paid a courtesy call on the Ofori Panin palace three days ago, Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin emphasized, there is no word describing Community Mining Policy than ” Uncle or Senior brother of galamsey.”
“They are destroying lands and rivers. The last time the Minister of Lands and Natural resources came here, I told him point-blank that, they shouldn’t deceive us with Community mining, It will end nowhere.
"Community mining is just Uncle or Senior brother of galamsey. More lands have been degraded and river bodies had been polluted same as galamsey".
"There is no accountability, no reclamation. But they say it is government policy. We will not allow these to continue because when the rivers are destroyed [Minister ] they don’t blame the MCE rather the Okyenhene because the lands belong to me”
Okyenhene continued that “I have personally told the President, I also had the opportunity yesterday to speak to the Finance minister. I will also speak to Abu Jinapor again.
Enough is enough. We will not allow community mining to go on here. We will not allow it. It is not doing any good to anyone, not even the government. River bodies, lands and forests should not be destroyed under the NPP government. We need to put an end to it," he stressed.
Ghana’s President Akufo Addo, on Wednesday, 25th July 2019, launched the Community Mining Programme at Wassa Akropong, in the Western Region.
The Policy has since received lots of criticism from environmental watches who say it is causing more harm than good.
The Kyebi Paramount Chief insisted, there is no community mining anywhere, "it is just a reintroduction of Galamsey.
William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Regional Correspondent
