Some residents of Asamang Tamfoe in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in the Eastern Region say they have not approved or support any form of surface mining in the community.
It said Speedy Exploration Company Limited, the mining company has of late been illegally mining gold on its lands without recourse to, or any prior engagement with them.
It noted that the company has not only been destroying “our cash crop farms, but has also been doing so with impunity, giving no regard to us, the landlords/farmers.”
The group in a petition to the Ministry Of Lands And Natural Resources dated December 13, 2021 stated that besides the destruction of farms, this Company has been polluting the only source of water supply, River Koben by diverting the course of the river and the mining on the river bed.
The residents noted that “the Company has not only failed to compensate us, the farmers whose farms have been destroyed with mining activities, but has also failed to reclaim the lands it has mined and/or fill up pits and/or trenches it has dug on our lands”.
The residents alleged that “our further information is that the so called “Community Miners” are not from our Community or anywhere nearby, and not even a single soul from our Community is a member of the company that has been proposed to operate the Community Mining, namely “Frontiers Mining Association”, which we know belongs to some friends of the National Women’s Organizer of the NPP, Madam Kate Gyamfua.”
It noted that pretty soon the Community Mining Zone is going to be launched or declared at Asamang-Tamfoe to cover portions of its stool lands, and we vehemently object to this.
The residents held that it is not as if the citizens of Asamang Tamfoe do not like development, but illegal mining is obviously not the way to handle unemployment within the area and anybody believes that, that is how the area has to be developed.
“This is premised on the history and past experiences of Anyinam, Ankaase and Akyem Mampong, where arable and rich agricultural lands have been destroyed and the people there are now contending with serious issues regarding land availability for farming. Added to this, their sources of drinking water. Have been rendered unclean and unhealthy” it argued.
The group further disclosed that River Birim, which runs through this area has been so polluted that if any community should be encouraged further to perpetuate this, it will be a bad legacy left by the government.
“We urge therefore that the interest of the larger society of the Asamang Tamfoe is considered to keep perpetrating sanity in the zone and the government left popular, the petitioners herein and a good number of our citizens are ready and willing to meet any committee that may be set up to look into the matters raised here for discussion” the residents stated.