On Saturday, June 1, a group called Concerned Cocoa Farmers (CCF) from the Ellembelle District in the Western Region took to the streets to protest against the rampant environmental destruction caused by illegal mining activities (galamsey) in their district.
The farmers marched to one of the illegal mining sites in Sendu to voice their dissatisfaction and condemnation of the illegal miners’ actions.
They argued that the damage being done to their cocoa farms and water bodies by these illicit activities is incalculable.
Benjamin Azachie, the leader of Concerned Cocoa Farmers, handed their petition to Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Member of Parliament for the Ellembelle constituency.
He urged the MP to leverage his position and the Parliament to halt the aggressive takeover of cocoa farms by illegal miners (galamsey operators) in the region.
Azachie highlighted that illegal mining continues to devastate their investments and pollute the clean water bodies in the affected areas of the District.
In an interview with journalists, Grace Amihere, one of the affected residents, expressed her frustration over the severe pollution in the area.
“I’m demonstrating because of the pollution of our water bodies and destruction of cocoa farms. How are we going to feed our children with the destruction of our farms? The operators suddenly came without prior notice to us,” she lamented.
“They tried to pay off my brother to mine in his cocoa farm, but because he refused to accept their money, they have destroyed half of the farm. Why are they doing this to us? This is what worries us. President Akufo-Addo must address this concern. Right now, farmers are not getting water to drink,” she added.
Another affected resident, Ama Amihere, also claimed, “They have destroyed rubber farms and also cheated the farmers after forcefully taking their farms. So, we are pleading with the government that what is happening is not lawful.”
Following the invasion of “galamsey” activities in the Nyamebekyere-Sendu section of the Ellembelle District, the once-clean River Fia has become contaminated.
Nicholas Kofi Mawuli, the Assembly Member for the Nyamebekyere Electoral Area, stated his reservations regarding the employment of Chinese in the front line and expressed his great concern about the detrimental development.
“They are fronting in engaging in the illegalities in this area,” he said.
After over an hour of protesting at the Sendu galamsey site, the Concerned Cocoa Farmers handed their petition to Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the MP for Ellembelle.
Armah-Kofi Buah assured the farmers that he would take their concerns to the Parliament of Ghana for resolution.
However, he encouraged the affected residents to speak out loudly against illegal mining activities in the area.
He emphasized that combating illegal mining is a collective responsibility, and everyone must work together to address the issue.