The Chief of Osino in the Fanteakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region, Osabarima Otu Darko IV, has denied any wrongdoing or giving out the Osino Roman Catholic School Park for illegal mining.
According to the Chief: “Ladies and gentlemen of the media, I want to put [it] on records that I don’t know anything, and I have not given any land to anybody for either legal or illegal mining.”
He continued: “I challenged anybody or group of persons who could support with evidence that I know something about this act. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, my hands are clean, and again welcome any evidence.”
He made the disclosure during a press conference at his Palace on Tuesday in response to an earlier media report that he had given out the Osino Roman Catholic School Park to an illegal miner.
The Osinohene, who is also the Acting Benkumhene of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, said that until the media report, he had no information that any work was going on at the school park.
Touching on the matter, Osabarima Otu Darko IV indicated that the said school park was given to a miner to supposedly reshape and level it without his consent, leading to some negative media reports.
He explained that even though he would welcome development contributions of everybody within and outside his traditional jurisdiction, he would not entertain any act of gross disrespect to his person and stool.
To this, he has advised residents and, most especially, heads of the various schools in the area, to inform and or consult him first anytime they want to embark on any development project or expansion work in their schools.
Independent investigations conducted by this reporter showed that there was some work going on, on the land by some excavators with a portion of the park being excavated.
This reporter was told that the school park was released to the miner for reshaping and leveling by the Rev. Father of the Osino Roman Catholic Church, since the rains had negatively affected the park.
However, the Rev. Father did not consult the traditional leaders for permission before embarking on the exercise, hence, the problem.
To this end, the Osino Chief has summoned the Headmaster of the school and the Rev. Father of the Osino Roman Catholic Church to appear before him and his elders on Thursday at 3pm to answer questions leading to the work of the land.
The Chief further admonished media practitioners not to rush in putting any pieces of information out there, since their actions could negatively or positively affect the holistic construction of society.
