Residents in and around Potrase, Osino, Kibi, Asikam Asiakwa in the Abuakwa South and Fanteakwa South Districts of the Eastern Region are crying out for urgent intervention as illegal mining (galamsey) activities continue to destroy their water bodies and forests.
At the center of the allegations are two bodyguards of President Nana Akufo-Addo,Ofori-panyin Fraizer and Eric Antwi.
They are accused of engaging in galamsey with impunity, polluting rivers bodies, ravaging forests, and threatening livelihoods.
According to distressed residents, these men openly brag about their connections to power, claiming to be untouchable.
More alarming, the residents allege that some officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Forestry Commission are complicit in these illegal activities.
One name that has emerged is Dr. Jones Kumi Agyei, a Forestry Commission regional officer for the Ashanti Region who was recently transferred from the Eastern Region.
He is accused of facilitating access to protected forest areas for illegal miners and providing them with protection for his gains.
Sources say Dr. Kumi’s deep involvement in galamsey is no secret. Industry players recall his recent participation in a mining engagement at Akyem Tafo, where he attended as a concession owner with interests in the government’s proposed Gold Board.
This revelation did not come as a surprise to many, as he has long been linked to illegal mining activities in and around Kibi.
Their operations have turned once-pristine rivers into murky, toxic streams, leaving entire communities struggling to access clean drinking water.
The rampant deforestation caused by their mining has also increased the risk of flooding and soil erosion, putting farmlands and homes in danger.
Frustrated by the destruction, residents are now calling on President John Mahama, the Ghana Police Service, and the military to intervene by arresting those responsible.
“We are pleading with John Mahama to help us. Our rivers are dying, our lands are being destroyed, and our children are suffering. If nothing is done, we will lose everything,” an elder in Asiakwa lamented.
Some community members are considering taking matters into their own hands by staging protests and blocking mining routes to prevent further destruction. “If the government won’t act, we will. We can’t sit by and watch a few greedy individuals destroy our land and future,” a resident declared.
The ongoing devastation has already triggered health crises, with increasing cases of skin diseases and waterborne infections due to contaminated water sources. Farmers are struggling to irrigate their crops, worsening food insecurity in the area.
The big question remains: will the government step in and bring these powerful individuals to justice, or will impunity continue to reign?
