Residents of three farming communities in Gwira in the Nzema East municipality of the Western Region, have appealed to the government and the security agencies to halt the illegal operations of Okobeng Mining Company Limited and Gwiramang Company Limited in the enclave.
The communities Abelobo, Assuawua, and Afransie, complained that the operations of the two companies had distorted the economy, social life and the environment of the three communities.
The Family Head of Gwira Abelebo, Nana Afriwa II, who made the appeal on behalf of the residents in the three communities in an interview with the Ghanaian Times yesterday, alleged that the two companies were currently engaged in galamsey at Assuawua and Gwira Afransie, and would soon enter Abelebo.
“Any attempts to enter Abelebo, will be met with the full force of the community. Okobeng Mining Company Limited, through his activities, has caused huge devastation to Gwira lands resulting in loss of livelihoods, economic and social dislocations. We are determined not to allow him to step at Gwira Abelebo. We will defend our heritage with our blood,” he stated.
Nana Afriwa II claimed that Okobeng Mines, for a long time, had trampled on the freedom and rights of farmers at Assuawua and Gwira Afransie and taken away their farms “because he claims all the land in the area belongs to him.”
“Farmers here are not even allowed to harvest their crops. So they are calling on all the security agencies to come to their aid. Farmers at Abelebo are worried about the situation here. Gwira Afransie farmers are crying bitterly because of illegal activities on their farmlands. Farmers find it difficult to harvest their produce due to the attacks by some ex-military men,” he alleged.
According to him, Okobeng Mines had neither permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Resources Commission (WRC), nor license from the Minerals Commission to mine gold in the area, and appealed to the government, security and regulatory agencies to stop the mining operations of Okobeng Mines before it degenerated into chaos.
“Okobeng Mines is using Gwira lands for illegal mining and has erected barriers to debar farmers from accessing their farms. River Ankobra in Gwira has been damed for galamsey activities and overflowed during heavy rains, causing huge flooding in the area, Nana Afriwa told the Ghanaian Times.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian Times had sighted a Minerals Commission (MINCOM) letter titled ‘Request to stop the mining activities of Okobeng Mines signed by Chief Executive, Martin Ayisi, on October 1, 2023, written to the Western Regional Minister.
It reported that Okobeng Mines had been carrying out mining activities or operated without the required authorisations or approvals under the mining laws of Ghana.
“The Commission hereby seeks the support of the Western Regional Security Council to stop the activities of Nana Amponsah, his privies, agents or assigns,” MINCOM stressed.
When this reporter called Nana Amponsah, the owner of the two mining companies on the telephone number 0244902127 yesterday, the operator said “The number you have dialed is not correct, please check the number and dial again”.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TAKORADI
