The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim North, Hon. Remond Nana Damptey, the District Security Council (DISEC), officials from the Minerals Commission (Akyem Oda), and some Heads of Department/Unit visited the Akyem Ntronang Community to sensitise the people on the rules and regulations governing community mining in Ghana.
According to a letter from the Birim North District Assembly, dated, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, during a meeting, the chief and the people of Akyem Ntronang expressed grave concern over illegal mining ‘galamsey’ going on in the community and how those illegal activities were causing substantial distress to the residents.
Following that, the Birim North District Assembly has given all illegal miners in Akyem Ntronang 72 hours ultimatum to stop all galamsey operations in the community and remove all mining tools and equipment from the site(s) within the time and date of receipt of the letter.
Illegal small-scale mining in Ghana has been a major contributor to deforestation, polluting the water, air, and soil, and devastating farmlands.
They impact the environment, including water sources, which puts local community health at risk. Ample data from sources such as WHO and CDC indicate that contaminated water and inadequate sanitation are linked to the transmission of diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and rotavirus.
