The Paramount Chief of Wenchi Traditional Area, Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoampong Tabrako III, according to myjoyonline.com report, has expressed concern over the ongoing illegal mining operations at Atuna, a community within his jurisdiction.
A statement issued by the office of the Paramount Chief and signed by Reindorf Oware said, “This notice is a clear reminder that no company or individual has received permission from the Omanhene to exploit the land for mining purposes.
“Effective immediately by order of Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoampong Tabrako III, all companies involved in the illicit mining are ordered to vacate the premises without delay. All operations must cease, and you are required to remove any machinery and equipment from the site by 6:00 pm today, January 5, 2025,” the statement said.
The statement further directed individuals and companies involved to fill and completely cover all excavated pits to mitigate potential dangers, while any destroyed land must be restored to its original condition to preserve the integrity of the area. Non-compliance with these instructions will lead to serious repercussions”, the statement warned.
Illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, as we keep on saying is a national issue that The Chronicle, as a leading national newspaper cannot stop talking about it. We are gradually losing most of our water bodies, especially creeks that serve as source of drinking water for people living in our rural communities. Unfortunately, because the elites who are supposed to talk about the issue live in the big towns and cities, they are not feeling the heavy impact of the devastation going on in the rural communities.
Accra for instance depend heavily on River Volta for treatment and supply of potable water. Luckily for the residents, River Volta has not been heavily polluted through illegal mining activities, as being witnessed by other water bodies in the country. As a result of this, the issue of illegal mining sounds like music in the ears of most Accra residents.
What these people seem to have forgotten is that almost all the agricultural products consumed in Accra come from these illegal mining areas, where they use mercury infested water to nurture the crops. This tells a story that the one sitting in Accra and ignoring all galamsey issues is doing so at his or her own peril.
Ghanaians must, therefore, wake up from their slumber and start proffering ideas on how to stop the illegal mining activities going on in our beloved country. In the 1950s, 60s, 70s and even 80s, the country did not experience the drying up of streams in the rural communities, but today the same story cannot be told, thanks to galamsey activities.
The youth have unfortunately assumed that indulging in illegal mining activities is the quick way to make money and do not, therefore, care a hoot about the damage being caused to the environment. Those who have the resources are also sitting in Accra, Kumasi and other cities buying excavators for the youth to continue to destroy the environment.
In our opinion, since all the measures put in place by the government, including the deployment of soldiers to tackle the problem have failed miserably, it is time for the chiefs who are the custodians of the land to also intervene. The Chronicle is, therefore, happy with the orders that have been given by the paramount chief of Wenchi for all illegal mining activities to cease in his area.
We believe that if other chiefs should come on board by taking similar decisions in their traditional areas, it will help to stem the tide. The battle against galamsey must not be fought by the government alone, but all the people of Ghana, which include our chiefs.
