Stop Okobeng Mining Company Immediately – Gwira Traditional Council Pleads
The Paramount Chief of Gwira Traditional Council , Queen Mother’s and Elders have passionately appealed to the President, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources , and ALL other Regulatory organs to as a matter of URGENCY STOP the activities of Okobeng Mining Company. According to Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan ll ,the operations if the above mining company is wrecking havoc, diseases, land degradation, destruction of water bodies, poverty and destruction of cocoa and other crops in his traditional area.
According to the Paramount Chief, in September 201y, the Government of Ghana through the Minerals Commission granted a mining license to prospect for gold one Mr Amponsah the CEO of Okobeng Mining Company in the traditional area. Ironically, he went into surface mining contrary to the terms agreed upon . The company straight away zoomed into small scale unauthorised mining to the chagrin of the community. These illegal operations have culminated in the total destruction of the Ankobra and other streams in the locality. Their farm lands have been destroyed but no compensations have been paid let alone proper revelation as envisaged under the mining laws of the country.
According Awulae Angama the traditional council has made countless complaints to the district Police station, Traditional Council , Regulatory Organs, Ministries, Presidency but nothing has been done to him. Instead Mr Amponsah has allegedly surrounded himself with dreadful body guards who are armed to the teeth. He has then been threatening the local people and bragging that no one can touch him. The traditional has time without number without number invited him for amicable settlement of the impasse but he has stuck to his guns and treated them with scorn .
The local people have been intimidated and driven away from their own farms as the manager claims all those lands belong to his company .
Strangely, the company has not provided any social intervention to support the community ,not even a single borehole . The community is also suffering from some skin diseases. Awulae said his people have gone through a lot trauma and intimidation from Mr Amponsah and his company .
So on behalf of the traditional council and his people appealing to the powers that be to as a matter of immediacy STOP the Company from further destruction and harassment of his people If this plea is not adhered to, the locals would stop at nothing than to confront Mr ‘Amponsah and his company on all fronts. He however said they trust and believe the laws of the land that’s why they have restrained themselves for any skirmish. We are making our last complain to the country ,the world and the Press to make our case heard. We are unconditionally demanding his instant
