The chief, elders, and inhabitants of Kwahu Daa in the Kwahu West Municipality of the Eastern Region have rightfully rejected a planned community mining by Mr Joseph Frempong, Member of Parliament (MP) of Kwahu West.
The chiefs and people of Kwahu Daa staged a protest march against any plan to mine on farmlands, expressing their unequivocal opposition to the proposed community mining.
They [residents] warned the Kwahu West legislator not to try to push for community mining at Kwahu Daa.
The Chief of Kwahu Daa, a farming community, Nana Amakye Appah believes that the proposed community mining scheme would affect their farming activities.
“The MP, Mr Fremong, brought the letter. We don’t like community mining in any form. We sold several bags of cocoa this season, we can’t allow our cocoa farms, plantains, and cocoyam farms to go to waste. We love our farming and the income it brings to us.” The Chief of Kwahu Daa reiterated.
Some angry residents argued that community mining when allowed in the town will have a negative effect on their social and cultural lives which will be worse than the economic gains alleged will accrue from such activity.
“The adverse effect of mining seen across the areas where such activities take place does not encourage us to give out our farmlands. We want to live a better environment for our children.”
Another added: “I am deeply hurt by the action of the MP. We don’t want the community mining.”
In 2019, the President Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party government through the Minerals Commission, which regulates the mining sector, introduced a Community Mining Scheme (CMS).
This was designed to turn illegal miners into formal small-scale miners by allowing them to mine in specifically designated areas under government supervision provided they meet certain safety and environmental criteria.
But the Chief of Kwahu Daa Nana Amakye Appah and his folks say no to such a move no matter who is leading it and where the proposal is coming from.
