Traditional leaders in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to urgently intervene in the illegal mining activities they say are destroying the municipality’s forests and polluting major water bodies.
The chiefs say the situation has reached a critical stage, particularly along the River Tano, which they claim has been severely contaminated by activities of illegal miners.
They are also questioning the effectiveness of state-led efforts to combat galamsey, citing the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Blue Water Guards among institutions they believe have failed to contain the problem.
The concerns were raised during a courtesy visit by the Member of Parliament for Tano North, Dr Gideon Boako, on Tuesday.
The Adontehene of the Tanoso Traditional Council, Nana Kwapem Peni, said the once-pristine River Tano had been badly affected by illegal mining, describing its current state as a source of deep concern for traditional authorities.
He said the water had become heavily discoloured and urged the government to take decisive action before the damage becomes irreversible.
“We are left with no choice but to make an urgent appeal directly to President John Mahama to intervene immediately and save our water bodies before everything is lost,” Nana Kwapem Peni said.
The chiefs also expressed frustration over what they described as weak enforcement and the release of suspected illegal miners apprehended by residents.
The Chief of Afrisipakrom, Nana Oboni Nkrawiri IV, recounted an incident in which residents and traditional authorities allegedly arrested miners operating along the River Tano and handed them over to the police.
He claimed the suspects were subsequently released by the municipal police authorities, a development he said had undermined local efforts to support the national fight against illegal mining.
“Our people, led by the traditional authorities, risked their lives to catch these illegal miners red-handed as they were polluting the Tano River,” he said.
“But to our total dismay, the municipal police authorities simply discharged them and set them all free.”
Nana Oboni Nkrawiri IV said continued releases of suspected illegal miners could discourage communities from taking part in efforts to protect their natural resources.
He called for stronger enforcement and prosecution to ensure that people involved in illegal mining face the consequences of their actions.
Responding to the chiefs, Dr Gideon Boako commended the traditional authorities for their efforts to protect the municipality’s forests and water bodies.
He pledged his support for initiatives aimed at restoring the River Tano and curbing illegal mining in the area.
The MP, however, urged residents to broaden their focus beyond the miners working at illegal sites and also expose individuals who finance and facilitate such operations.
He said the fight against galamsey would require collective action from traditional authorities, residents, state institutions and other stakeholders.
For communities in Tano North, the condition of the River Tano has become an increasingly urgent concern, with traditional authorities now looking to the government for stronger intervention to protect the river and the forests that surround it.
