For the first time in the celebration of Ghana’s independence, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency executives in Ellembelle of the Western Region were conspicuously missing at the 63rd independence anniversary celebrations which took place at the Bonzo Kaku Secondary School (BOKASS) at Awiebo.
Ironically, executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by their Chairman Alex Mahama were rather at the dais to grace the occasion.
Public opinion has it that the relationship between the District Chief Executive(DCE), Mr. Kwasi Bonzoh, the constituency chairman Samuel Akainyah, and others had turned sour in the recent past which might have accounted for their absence.
Critics in the constituency who spoke to GhanaWeb say though independence day is a national event which could be attended by all citizens, yet the Executives of the ruling NPP had no cause to extricate themselves from the celebrations.
Our reporter later tried to find out from the constituency chairman Samuel Akainyah, popularly known as Atito to disclose why they were not present at the parade, he denied to reveal their secret.
Further investigations conducted by GhanaWeb reveal that most of the NPP executives in Ellembelle were neck deep in galamsey activities in three communities namely; Nkroful, Teleku-Bokazo and Anwia.
The DCE who is aware of the galamsey activities, had initiated moves with the District Police Command to abate the nuisance.
According to public opinion, it is ostensibly this development which had incurred the displeasure of the NPP Executives to keep the DCE at arm’s length in all activities and functions of the District Assembly.
The some party members have been threatening to vote against the DCE who is the Parliamentary Candidate in the December elections but when contacted, Mr. Bonzoh said he remained unperturbed by their threats adding that he will go ahead to stop galamsey activities in the area.
“We don’t like Bonzoh is doing at all because he can’t just stop galamsey activities in this District because this mining is not destroying the water bodies here, so we understand why Bonzoh led Police team to seized some machines at the galamsey sites, if he doesn’t take care we will vote against him, he should try again”, they said.
A visit by GhanaWeb to the galamsey sites, reveal that the Subre river which is a source of drinking water to the three communities, has been polluted beyond any measure.
The galamsey operations were also affecting residents and giving them sleepless nights as the galamsey sites were closer to their places of abode.
The residents who spoke to this reporter appealed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to step in to halt the menace.
It would be recalled that last two weeks, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area led the District Security Council to embark on an unannounced operations to seize seven (7) excavators from Galamseyers who were mining illegally at Anwia, Teleku Bokazo and Nkroful.
The DCE who disclosed this to the media after the operations, vowed to deal with those behind the galamsey activities without any political consideration.
“In fact I can’t sit there unconcerned to allow some people to destroy the land and also their water body which is the only source of drinking water, we will not consider any party member if found culpable”, he said.
He, therefore, stressed to allow those culprits to reclaim the land and plant trees on it and also punish them severely.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com