At least 10 persons have been arrested among hundreds of youths, who were demonstrating at Winneba against the Minerals Commission’s decision to allow mining in the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site and Yenku Forest at Effutu on Tuesday.
The arrest was occasioned by the refusal of the youth to heed to the police’s directive not to enter the premises of the Effutu Municipal Assembly, resulting in a clash.
Some of the protesters pelted the police with stones, wounding one police personnel.
To avoid an escalation of the situation, the Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, resulting in some of the protestors sustaining injuries.
The demonstration was organised by the Winneba youth, led by Dr James Kofi Annan, an NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the area, in support of a press conference held by the Gomoa Akyempim, Gomoa Ajumako and Effutu Paramount Chiefs, in partnership with some concerned traditional leaders.
They had called on the Minerals Commission and the Government to rescind the decision to permit Green Metal Resources Limited, a mining firm, from undertaking large scale mining in the Muni-Ramsar Site.
The demonstration commenced peacefully from the Winneba Cemetery area, through Sankro, Womsum, the Fish Market, Aboadze, and Penkyi among other routes and ended at Ntakufem but turned sour when the protesters tried entering the Municipal Assembly Office, which the police disagreed with.
They were later informed that the Municipal Chief Executive and the Coordinating Director were out of town.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “We say no to mining in Effutu Aboakyer hunting grounds’, ‘Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site not for mining” and “our culture our matter, No mining on sacred grounds.”
Dr Annan, briefing the gathering, said Effutuman had a historical linkage with the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site, which defined the people’s identity and would, therefore, not sit unconcerned to have the site destroyed.
He urged the Government to reconsider its decision for the sake of peace and said Ramsar Sites in the country were protected by the Ramsar Convention.
The Muni-Pomadze site is specifically protected under the Wetland Management Regulation 1999 LI-1659 covering most parts of Winneba, the Pratu, Natakofo stream, and the Muni-Lagoon.
Despite several attempts over the years to mine in the Yenku Forest, the chiefs and all stakeholders had been firm in their stance not to allow that, he said.
“We are saying that the sacredness and integrity of our Aboakyer Festival would be affected, because the area earmarked for such mining is a historical site, our heritage, where we go annually to hunt for live deer for the Festival,” he stated.
“We are calling on the Government to quickly withdraw the permit given to the mining firm because it will not bring any development or growth to Effutuman.”
GNA