Chiefs and people of Asaman Tamfoe in the Atewa East District of the Eastern Region are threatening legal action against a native of Ankaase who is allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities popularly known as Galamsey.
According to the Chiefs and affected farmers, the illegal miner has armed himself with thugs and land guards, forcibly taking over farmlands, claiming ownership of the lands.
He has allegedly compromised the local police, making it difficult for them to take the necessary action against him.
A popular alleged illegal miner known as Abieku, who hails from Ankaase and is the younger brother of the Ankaase Chief, according to Chiefs and people of Asaman Tamfoe, has been consistently harassing innocent farmers with his illegalities.
According to the residents, he carries out his activities day and night with armed land guards forcibly taking over acres of farmland belonging to innocent farmers.
According to them, he mostly moves at night into farms, clear food produce being cocoa, cassava or palm, digs the soil suspected to be containing minerals and conveys them with trucks to Ankaase for onward washing.Best restaurants near me
Nana Adae Frimpong Manso, the Nifahene of Asaman Tamfoe, is a victim and has several close relatives whose farms have also been taken over by the illegal miner popularly known as Abieku.
“We have reported the case to the police, but up till now, Abeiku has not been arrested. His accomplices were arrested once but were released the same day. Up until now, Abeiku is a free man,” he said.
According to the farmers and residents, several attempts to get police involvement in this issue have not yielded any positive results.
“Abeiku claims the land is his, but that is not true. Our ancestors cultivated the land and handed it over to us. I am even older than him, so how did our land become his?” a farmer fumed.
When the team visited a disputed land in the area, Abieku was present, supervising the reclamation of one of the farmlands he allegedly forcibly took from one of the farmers.
The Chief of Asaman Tamfoe, Osabarima Kwame Koh, visibly angry by the situation, has threatened legal action against the illegal miner.
“Abeiku and his cohorts have been involved in galamsey. Whatever he is doing, he has to be brought to book. He has to be taken to court. And whatever compensation there is, he has to pay to this town,” he stated.
However, Abieku, who has denied engaging in illegal mining, is said to have rather served court sermons to the Nifahene of Asaman Tamfoe, the NPP Constituency Secretary who doubles as the NADMO boss for the district, the NDC constituency chairman and the newly confirmed DCE, who are all part of the community mining committee, accusing them of rather engaging in galamsey, an assertion vehemently denied by the Chief of Asaman Tamfoe.
