Akoon people besiege Wassa West District Administration

Tarkwa (W/R) Aug. 25 GNA 96 More than 400 residents of Abontoakoon on Thursday besieged Wassa West District Administration to request the District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Ayensu to impress upon Goldfields Ghana Limited (GFGL) Tarkwa Mine to relocate them. They said their present location was liable to flooding so they had decided move uphill.

They chanted war songs and shouted: "Relocate us otherwise we shall not move."

Mr Ayensu told the people that they could not just decide to build anywhere since they needed building permits before they could put up any structure.

He said the area the people were putting up buildings fell within the concession of GFGL so they needed a permit from the Mine, adding that the Town and Country Planning had to plan a layout for an area before the building houses could begin. The people retorted: "There are some places like Nzemaline and Tarkwa n'Aboso and even within Tarkwa where there are no layouts yet people are living there! Don't bombard us with your big English! Tsooogbeii! Yeii! Tsoogbeii! Yeeeii! We are going to continue our buildings!"

Mr Ayensu said there had been sudden construction of buildings in some parts of Abontoakoon so the District Administration invited the Chief of Abontoakoon, Nana Aban and his elders and some opinion leaders to discuss the matter.

It was the meeting that precipitated the demonstration to demand relocation by GFGL.