Tension in Sefwi Juaboso over illegal mining activities

Tension is seemingly brewing in Sefwi Juaboso District in the Western region between farmers and illegal miners over activities of the latter in six (6) farming communities in the area, Today can report.

Farmers in Boinzan, Kwawkrom, Abrokofe and Abono, Dome, Mantukwa Addaekrom are not happy with the illegal miners popularly known in Ghanaian local parlance as ‘galamseyers’ whose activities are destroying farm lands and water bodies in these areas.

Consequently, the farmers have vowed to go all out to defend their farmlands, if authorities fail to do something about the situation.

They complained that the Boinzan and Bia Rivers which are the only sources of drinking water for the residents in the said communities, have been polluted through the irresponsible activities of illegal miners on the blind side of regulatory state institutions including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Resources Commission (WRC) and Minerals Commission (MC).

And subsequent to this threat, the aggrieved farmers recounted to Golden Pod FM, a local radio station in Sefwi Juaboso, how they tried to get the Juaboso District Assembly Environmental Department to stop the illegal mining activities, which saw nothing being done by the Assembly to stop the illegal mining in the communities.

According to them, it would be in the assembly’s interest to act fast so as to save any clashes between the farmers and the illegal miners.

They indicated that their lives were in danger because their only sources of water had been contaminated by the activities of the illegal miners.

To this end, the farmers called on the National Security to immediately come to their aid and help flush out all the illegal miners.

A recent visit by some journalists to the communities revealed that the sites were full of boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 19, who were spotted busily working in pools of water and mud.

Young girls were also seen carrying sand suspected to be gold dust to a grinding machine, whiles some were also pumping water through the water pumping machine.

Some boys were also spotted digging and crushing rocks to search for gold.

Minors who were also not left out in the illegal mining business noted how it has helped them in paying for their school fees.

According to them, payment depended on the kind of work one does.

However, they said on a good day one could earn between GHC10.00 to GHC20.00