Chinese In Hot Galamsey In Western Region

By William Yaw Owusu, back from the Western Region.

Friday August 28, 2009
Over 100 Chinese nationals are currently engaged in hot illegal mining popularly called galamsey in some parts of the Western Region.

The operation, done mainly along the banks of river Ankobra which runs through many parts of the region is done in collaboration with some powerful individuals and chiefs in the area.

Residents in affected communities say the galamsey operation has intensifies since January through the use of state-of-the-art equipment and other earth-moving machinery.

A tour of the area shows extensive damage to the environment as a result of the activities of these galamsey operators.
The Chinese in collaboration with their Ghanaian counterparts have polluted and destroyed the water sources in more than 10 communities in the Amenfi East District alone.

They also destroy the people’s alternative sources of livelihoods, including farms without any compensation.

They diverted the course of river Ankobra in many areas in search of gold thereby causing unprecedented flooding anytime it rains.

These operators also leave behind huge mining pits which now serve as death traps.

Residents alleged that the brain behind the bringing of the Chinese to the area is one Eric Coffie, a wealthy businessman from Wassa Akropong who also claims to be the secretary of National Small Scale Mining Association.

They accused Nana Ntsiako Egyiri, chief of Dikoto and a female chief of Adanse who has the stool name Nana Kojo Dwamera of providing tacit support to the galamsey operators.

The District Chief Executive of Amenfi East, Stephen Baidoo Acheampong has confirmed the galamsey operations in the area but blames the security agencies particularly the police of ‘glossing’ over the issue.

He said the police have refused to take any action despite persistent calls by the people to arrest the galamsey operators.

‘We receive daily reports of these operations and I have personally made efforts to stop them but the police are not helping me’.

Anthony Kwame Darko, the Presiding Member who took newsmen around some of the affected communities said the assembly is initiating a move at the regional level to get a replacement of police personnel in the district.

At Saaman, Nana Tumfour Ankomah II, chief of the town, bemoaned the widespread destruction of the environment, pollution of water sources and excessive use of the town’s already overstretched facilities by the Chinese and other galamsey operators.

“They have taken over our town and farms, polluted all water sources and causing environmental hazards”.

He also said the Chinese have used heavy duty equipment and earth-moving equipment to destroy their bridges and culverts, leaving the roads more deplorable.

“It is becoming too much for us. The District Assembly should take immediate steps to stop these illegal miners. We do not want to create problems but at the same time our demand must be fully met”.

At Konkorso, a village hardest hit, the Chief Nana Akwabeng II said “there are five different Chinese groups operating illegal mining here.”

He said “they have used excavators to clear our farmlands for gold and used our facilities without any replacement.”

“Whenever there are rains, we get cut off for a week because the Chinese have diverted the course of the Ankobra to mine gold”.

At Adanse, residents claim the galamsey operators use the police to intimidate them anytime they raised issues about the level of destruction of their farms.

They said the Chinese claimed they signed a social responsibility agreement with their chief in a different town.

When contacted at Wassa Akropong, Mr. Eric Coffie admitted having led some Chinese to the Chief of Adanse but said “I do not know all of them.”

“There are different small scale companies who are partnering other foreign companies to do surface mining”.

“The Chinese started their operations at Kutukrom, near Prestea and move along the Ankobra. They were on the Offin and Pra rivers as well. They move in the bushes looking for concession”.

He said some small scale miners had lent their licenses to these foreigners.