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16th November, 2011
THE FURY OF AKYEM HEMAN YOUTH
RECENT reports have it that, the youth of Akyem Heman in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region, are arming themselves to attack illegal miners who are said to be moving equipment into the town, to mine.
The reports stated that the townsmen had given the owners of the equipment a 24-hour ultimatum to remove their property, or have them destroyed.
Our correspondent in Koforidua who visited the area, upon hearing of the possible confrontation with the miners, spotted bulldozers and other equipment, which had been moved to the mining sites.
A follow-up report from our reporter, indicated that the Odikro of Akyem Dome, near Heman, Nana Akrofa III, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the importation of the illegal miners to the area.
The 76-year old cocoa farmer, was identified by the police as the main suspect who gave out parcels of land to the illegal miners and kept their equipment.
The Times would not want to go into the merits or otherwise of the case, since the police are handling it.
However, we want to register our displeasure about constant reports concerning the degrading of our forests and water bodies by illegal miners in various parts of the country.
These small-scale miners continue to cause massive destruction to large tracts of land and the forest cover, in their use of chemicals such as cyanide and mercury to refine the minerals they extract.
Besides, they contaminate the water bodies, as well as cause massive pollution which in turn pose health hazards to the said communities.
It is patently criminal for any persons to wilfully endanger the lives of others in the pursuit of their parochial interests.
Sadly enough, the nefarious activities of these illegal miners are not a recent phenomenon. For years on end, the media have highlighted cases of pollution of water bodies and destruction of forest cover by these nation wreckers.
However, for whatever reasons, the law enforcement agencies have never been able to bring the culprits to book.
This is because rumours abound that some influential people often intervene on behalf of the illegal miners whenever they are arrested, and are in most instances, set free.
The Times believes that the time has come for the government and, indeed the security agencies, to take a new look at the problem with the aim of stopping these reckless and wanton destruction, once and for all.
The government must not lose sight of the growing threat of desertification as a result of the illegal mining and logging in our forest reserves and water bodies.
The threat by the people of Akyem Heman to deal with the illegal miners is real and the government must act decisively before the situation gets out of control.
The reports stated that the townsmen had given the owners of the equipment a 24-hour ultimatum to remove their property, or have them destroyed.
Our correspondent in Koforidua who visited the area, upon hearing of the possible confrontation with the miners, spotted bulldozers and other equipment, which had been moved to the mining sites.
A follow-up report from our reporter, indicated that the Odikro of Akyem Dome, near Heman, Nana Akrofa III, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the importation of the illegal miners to the area.
The 76-year old cocoa farmer, was identified by the police as the main suspect who gave out parcels of land to the illegal miners and kept their equipment.
The Times would not want to go into the merits or otherwise of the case, since the police are handling it.
However, we want to register our displeasure about constant reports concerning the degrading of our forests and water bodies by illegal miners in various parts of the country.
These small-scale miners continue to cause massive destruction to large tracts of land and the forest cover, in their use of chemicals such as cyanide and mercury to refine the minerals they extract.
Besides, they contaminate the water bodies, as well as cause massive pollution which in turn pose health hazards to the said communities.
It is patently criminal for any persons to wilfully endanger the lives of others in the pursuit of their parochial interests.
Sadly enough, the nefarious activities of these illegal miners are not a recent phenomenon. For years on end, the media have highlighted cases of pollution of water bodies and destruction of forest cover by these nation wreckers.
However, for whatever reasons, the law enforcement agencies have never been able to bring the culprits to book.
This is because rumours abound that some influential people often intervene on behalf of the illegal miners whenever they are arrested, and are in most instances, set free.
The Times believes that the time has come for the government and, indeed the security agencies, to take a new look at the problem with the aim of stopping these reckless and wanton destruction, once and for all.
The government must not lose sight of the growing threat of desertification as a result of the illegal mining and logging in our forest reserves and water bodies.
The threat by the people of Akyem Heman to deal with the illegal miners is real and the government must act decisively before the situation gets out of control.
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