Anyinam youth protest against small-scale mining
The youth of Anyinam in the Atiwa District in the Eastern Region yesterday demonstrated against small-scale and illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the area.
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Clad in red, the demonstrators carried placards some of which read “Away with small scale mining”, “Galamsey destroys water bodies”, ”Our leaders beware”.
The demonstrators, majority of whom were women, marched along the Anyinam-Kumasi highway, amid drumming and chanting of slogans and later converged on the main lorry park where they were addressed by their leaders.
The Kontihene of Anyinam, Baffour Frimpong Ayimadu II, said the town was not ready for any mining activity.
According to him, for the past four years, attempts had been made by some people from the area to acquire concessions for mining activities but the vigilance of the youth and some elders had made it difficult for such people to operate.
According to him, feasibility studies conducted by the Survey Department had revealed that Anyinam and its surrounding areas were water-logged and, therefore, not suitable for mining.
No mining at Anyinam
Baffuor Anyimadu said as a result of that, the elders of the town at a meeting with the citizens of the area resolved not to allow any such activity. However, he claimed that information gathered recently indicated that some chiefs, queenmothers and assembly members were in the process of acquiring a licence to undertake small-scale mining at Anyinam.
“Our town is very small, making expansion very difficult. The Birim River, which serves as the only source of drinking water, has been polluted and now they want to extend it to our farms. We will not agree to any mining activity, since we have nowhere to go,” he added.
For his part, the Dabenhene of the town, Nana Kwadwo Ayimadu, vehemently kicked against mining in the town because of its enormous negative impact.
“We will not sit down for certain individuals with the connivance of some unnamed elders from Anyinam to undertake gallamsey and small-scale mining operations in the town.
He commended the demonstrators for their commitment to safeguard the interest of Anyinam.
One of the demonstrators who gave her name as Naomi Frimponmaa said ”my daughter’s school fees is GH¢ 2,000 and my cocoa farms are going to be destroyed. God save us”.