The Nkosuohene of the Atronie Stool lands, Nana Krampah Hagan, has expressed deep disappointment over what he describes as the Bono Regional Minister Joseph Akwaboa’s failure to act swiftly against illegal mining activities.
Nana Krampah has revealed that the worsening situation has now forced some residents and local authorities to flee their homes.
According to him, the devastation caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has reached a critical stage despite repeated warnings from traditional leaders and residents about the consequences of allowing the activities to continue unchecked.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Nana Krampah Hagan said it was heartbreaking that the Assemblyman, Odikro, and some residents of Jinjini in Atronie have reportedly left the area due to the destruction caused by galamsey.
“Currently, the Assemblyman, the Odikro, and some residents have fled Jinjini in Atronie. This is very unacceptable and disheartening,” he lamented.
He questioned why the situation was allowed to deteriorate to the point where community leaders and residents had to abandon their homes.
“Why should this be happening? We brought these concerns to the attention of the authorities because we knew what was coming. We warned them about the consequences if immediate action was not taken,” he stated.
Nana Krampah recalled that the chiefs had repeatedly engaged the Bono Regional Minister and raised concerns over illegal mining activities, particularly the destruction of the Amomobra River that serve communities for domestic and farming purposes.
He said the current crisis could have been prevented if decisive measures had been taken earlier.
The Nkosoohene urged the Bono Regional Minister to acknowledge the scale of the challenge and seek support rather than allowing the situation to worsen.
“If he is overwhelmed, he should ask for help. There is nothing wrong with seeking assistance when a situation is beyond your capacity. What matters is protecting the people and their livelihoods,” he stressed.
He added that leadership requires listening to warnings from affected communities and acting before problems escalate.
“The chiefs spoke out, the residents spoke out, and we gave the warnings. Today, we are seeing the consequences of the inaction,” Nana Krampah Hagan said.
Illegal mining activities in parts of the Bono Region have raised concerns over the destruction of farmlands, pollution of water sources, and threats to livelihoods, with affected communities calling for urgent intervention from government and relevant agencies.
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