Betinko Residents Kick Aganist Galamsey Over Destruction Of Farms And Pollution Of Water Bobies.

Residents and traditional leaders of Betinko in the Ashanti Region have raised serious concerns over the increasing activities of illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, in the community.

According to them, the activities of illegal miners are having a devastating effect on their farmlands and their only source of water which serves farmers in the area.

They revealed that several acres of farmlands, including productive cocoa farms which serve as their main source of livelihood, have been destroyed by the galamsey operators.

The residents lamented that water bodies that serve both domestic and agricultural purposes are being heavily polluted, making it difficult for farmers to access clean water for their activities.

They have therefore issued a strong warning that they will not allow any galamsey activities on their lands.

They alleged that Oheneba Owusu Ansah Otumfour Brempong who is in charge of the area have turn deaf ears to their cry

“We don’t need any galamsey activities on our land. It is destroying our cocoa farms, polluting our water, and taking away our livelihoods. Our only source of water which serves farmers is being affected,” a leader of the community stated.

They are appealing to the government, the District Assembly, and security agencies to as a matter of urgency intervene and clamp down on the illegal miners to save their farms and water bodies from total destruction.

They warned that if urgent steps are not taken, they will be forced to take steps to protect their lands themselves.

Story by Bismark Mensah@A/R.