Residents Exposes DCE For Not Being Aware Of Galamsey Activities
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Following his appearance to the Assurance Committee of Parliament, on the 7th October, 2024, to answer questions from Hon Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa chair of the committee on the alarming rate at which illegal mining ( Galamsey) activities caused pollution to most of the country’s rivers and water bodies as well as degradation to the forest reserves which has attracted public outcry including organised labour unions and civil society groups raising serious concerns and calling on the government to place a total ban on all forms of small scale mining activities in the country, Mr Martin Kwaku Ayisi disclosed to the members of the Assurance Committee of Parliament that the fight against illegal mining activities should be a concern for every Ghanaian and the Minerals Commission has vow to fight the Galamsey menace.
Mr Martin Ayisi stressed that and i quote ” It will be very difficult to ban legal mining because how can someone who rightfully acquired a licence to mine and you ask that person to stop . How will that person feels ? The CEO of minerals commission ask ‘.
Mr Martin Ayisi told the Okudjeto Ablakwa chair of the Assurance Committee of Parliament that, Minerals commission does not give licensing to people to mine in rivers and water bodies and if one is found mining there , it means the person is doing it illegally and his outfit has reported cases of Galamsey activities to the police for further actions to be taken.
The minerals commission CEO told the Assurance Committee that he informed the police in Anyinam in the eastern region that Galamsey activities were taking place behind the police station and yet the police failed to act on the information.
But reacting to this , the District chief executive for Atiwa east, Mr Kwabena Nkansah denied on a Kumasi based Sompa tv / fm during a morning show program hosted by Omanhene Yaw Adu Boakye that he has no information about concerns raised by the Minerals commission CEO to the members of the Assurance Committee of Parliament when Mr Martin Kwaku Ayisi appeared before it.
Mr Kwabena Nkansah further disclosed in the interview that , he is also not aware of any report made to him of Galamsey activities happening behind the Anyinam police station.
But when a group of journalists stormed Akyem Anyinam and visited the back of Anyinam police station, they discovered illegal mining activities that has been going on there and even within the Birim river that has its sources passing behind the police which has been polluted through the illegal mining activities.
The residents who spoke with the group of journalists exposed Mr Kwabena Nkansah, Atiwa east DCE for claiming on a television station that he is not about any Galamsey activities happening behind the Anyinam police station and no one has informed him of that.
The residents further hinted that as the Chairman of the District Security Council, DISEC , Mr Kwabena Nkansah cannot deny knowledge of the Galamsey activities in Anyinam and some parts of the Atiwa east district.
A resident lamented and expressed worries and frustration about Galamsey activities happenings behind his residence and on the railway line connecting behind the Anyinam police station on the main Kumasi – Accra highway stretch which is known to anyone plying the stretch of road.
Another female resident disclosed to the group of journalists that from Kwabena Takyi’s house near Yesu Maame through Sakamoto and the railway line Galamsey activities is alarming which caught the attention of the DCE which he came around to look at it and promised to deal with the menace but nothing has been done to stop the illegal mining activities in Anyinam.
