Despite President Nana Akufo-Addo’s warnings to his Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive (MMDCEs) to frown on illegal mining activities or risk being sacked, the youth and opinion leaders of Asaman Tamfoe in the Atewa East Constituency of Eastern Region are accusing the District Chief Executive (DCE), Lawyer Kwabena Payin Nkansah, of dabbling in the illicit activities also known as galamsey in the name of community mining.
The two groups are accusing the DCE of dereliction of duties in the declared fight against galamsey in the area. They accused the DCE of turning a blind eye to galamsey activities in the area.
In September, 16 persons were arrested in connection with a shooting incident at Asaman Tamfoe in the Atewa East District of the Eastern Region.
A statement signed by Police Superintendent Ebenezer Tetteh of the Public Affairs, Eastern Region, said the incident occurred between some persons believed to be illegal miners and a community anti-galamsey taskforce on September 29, 2022, when they clashed in the area.
The DCE vehemently denied this allegation speaking in an interview with Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman), the host of Ghana Yensom morning show on Accra 100.5 FM on Wednesday, November 2 2022.
According to the DCE, he is not aware that galamsey activities are ongoing in the Asaman Tamfoe area.
He was categorical to say there were no galamsey activities in the area.
“I don’t know if there are any galamsey activities ongoing in the area.
“My attention has not been drawn to any such activities in the area,” he said.
He maintained that the people who are making the allegations should have called on his office to inform him of any galamsey activities in Asaman Tamfoe rather than coming on the radio.
He expressed his displeasure about the issues of galamsey in the area adding that he is rather aware of community mining which has not even started since it was launched in July in the area.
“I‘m aware the people making the allegations have all been against me in the area.
“What I know is what I’m telling you, I don’t know anything about galamsey in the area,” he stressed.
Wofa Yaw Owusu, an opinion leader at Asaman Tamfoe insists the DCE and the chief of the area, Osabrima Kwame Kuh II, are complicit in the activities of illegal mining in the area.
He alleged that the chief has allocated a stool land for galamsey activities in the area.
According to him, they know what the DCE and the chief are doing concerning galamsey activities so they have refused to answer queries from the media any time they are called upon.
A youth leader, Ernest Butha also told The Hitman that the youth in the area have registered their displeasure about galamsey activities in the area because it had destroyed the main source of water named Tamfoe.
When The Hitman further called up the chief, he flatly denied the activities of galamsey in the area adding that he was rather aware of community mining in the area.
Source: Classfmonline.com