Dormaa Traditional Council to punish errant chiefs over illegal mining operations
The Dormaa Traditional Council has resolved to punish chiefs who collude with illegal gold miners (‘galamsey’ operators) to destroy land in the area.
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“Heads are going to roll,” the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, said at a meeting of the traditional council in Dormaa Ahenkro last Tuesday.
He reminded the chiefs of the oath they had sworn to remain faithful to their people and to protect them at all times and declared that chiefs who were interested in pittance, instead of the welfare of their people, were not fit to be chiefs.
Destruction
The activities of illegal miners have resulted in the destruction of large tracts of land in some communities in the area.
Assembly members of the Dormaa Municipal, the Dormaa East District and the Dormaa West District assemblies, heads of the security agencies and religious bodies took part in the meeting to deliberate on how to find a lasting solution to the upsurge in illegal mining in some of the communities.
The activities of galamsey operators have resulted in the creation of deep pits and pools of water which pose danger to people.
During the meeting, it emerged that while two people died recently after falling into the pits created by illegal miners at Dormaa Akwamu, one person also perished at Wamanafo under similar circumstances.
Three communities which have been worse affected by illegal mining activities are Kyeremasu, Wamanafo and Dormaa Akwamu.
Large tracts of land, in addition to food crops, in those areas have also been destroyed by the miners.
The miners always bolt whenever there is news about members of the traditional council, assembly members or security men visiting those areas.
At such times, they leave some of their equipment behind, which is confiscated by the security agencies.
Measures
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu, who was worried over the extent of destruction, remarked: “The destruction is massive. I am ashamed and I am not going to allow this plunder to go on in my area.”
He wondered why chiefs in the communities had sat down to allow the plunder to go on.
“People say chiefs are involved in these acts. We are going to investigate,” he indicated.
He said land in the area belonged to the Dormaa Stool and that even if the Minerals Commission gave permits for the prospecting of minerals, it would require his consent before any mining activity could be undertaken.
“As far as I am concerned, I have not signed any document guaranteeing any company or individual the authority to undertake mining activities on any land belonging to the Dormaa Traditional Stool,” the chief stated.
Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu said the traditional council would take measures to reclaim lands which had been destroyed by the galamsey operators.