100 hectares rehabilitated cocoa farm in Ashanti Region allegedly stolen by foreign mining firm

A foreign-owned mining company, MIGOP Mining Limited, has reportedly taken over 100 hectares of rehabilitated cocoa farms at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region without authorization.

This action has denied farmers access to their farmlands.

The company is conducting mining exploration and development activities in five cocoa communities in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality. These farms were part of the newly rehabilitated cocoa fields following an epidemic of Cocoa Swollen Shot Virus Disease in the communities.

Head of COCOBOD’s anti-illegal mining units, Professor Michael Kwarteng, has expressed concern about the effects and dangers posed by the mining company’s operations on the local communities’ ability to produce cocoa.

“Yesterday, I received a call from the executive director of the cocoa health and extension division that there is this mining company, MIGOP Mining Limited.

“They’ve come to this our cocoa district. To them, they’ve been given license to do prospecting and they’ve destroyed a lot of our cocoa farms,” said Mr. Kwarteng.

He added, “Farmers have been preventing them but they are using security personnel to intimidate them and then going ahead with their activities. So when I received this I said no, I can’t sit down for even a day.”

“Looking at what is happening, the evidence is there. They’ve destroyed some of the cocoa farms. COCOBOD we are not aware of what is going on. I always say whenever you are securing any concession, you have to contact the regulator of that production, being cocoa, or whatever.

“Meanwhile when you go to the minerals commission, the Mining Acts 703 sections 18(1)(2), it tells you that mining companies are supposed to contact bodies that regulate that farm. So they are violating that aspect of their own law. So, mining companies are taking advantage of this and are destroying our farms everywhere,” he stated.

Meanwhile, several farmers interviewed by TV3’s Ashanti Regional Correspondent Ibrahim Abubakar lamented the detrimental effects the decision would have on their livelihoods and the country as a whole.

“The miners gave me cash in exchange for my cocoa farm but I didn’t allow it. We need your help,” a farmer said.

Another farmer remarked, “The miners claimed they have acquired a permit from the government. They will negotiate a price for your cocoa farm behind you,” adding that such an arrangement poses a “great challenge to our children and country.”

The mining operations will impact cocoa communities such as Apuoyem, Brahebebome, Brosanko, Ouagadougou, and Nkotonmire. According to Ghana’s COCOBOD, the monetary value of cocoa produced by these communities is over GH¢316,000.