Six Divisional Chiefs and their elders which constitute the Dormaa Traditional Council on Friday signed an undertaking to protect the Dormaa land from illegal mining activities popularly known as galamsey.
The six divisional chiefs and elders were from Ankobia, Nifa, Benkum, Aduana, Kyidom and Gyaase divisions.
They were from six traditional areas made up of Bomaa, Chiraa, Abesim Dormaa Municipality, Dormaa and part of Sunyani.
This came to light at a special meeting organised by the Dormaa Traditional Council.
A part of the undertaking which was signed by the paramount chief and all divisional chiefs and elders indicated that any chief who sits aloof and allows illegal mining to fester in their communities would be destooled by the Omanhene.
The resolution is in line with Act 995, Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act 2019.
Speaking at a special meeting organised by the Council, the Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeyor Agyemang Badu, said the decision by the Council has become necessary because of the negative impact galamsey activities were making in some communities in the Dormaa area.
According to him the state of devastation of the galamsey menace in communities such as Dormaa Akwamu, Subrikrom, Kyeremasu and Kosani among others calls for urgent attention to bring the phenomenon under control hence the decision by the Council.
He pointed out that several school children in the affected communities have abandoned the classroom and have taken to galamsey while water bodies and large acreages of cocoa farms were being destroyed with impunity by the illegal miners.
The Dormaahene further explained that chiefs in the traditional area can no longer pretend that the illegal mining activities were being done at their blind side, adding that they better accept responsibility to protect the environment or face the consequences.
As part of measures to check the illegal mining menace the chief directed his subjects to form a taskforce in their various communities to protect and arrest perpetrators of galamsey and hand them over to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
The paramount chief noted that Dormaa Traditional Area was not against mining in its entirety but would only recognise responsible mining which would inure to the benefits of the people.
He said under his watch he would not allow Dormaa to become like other cities and towns in Ghana where mining activities have not benefited the people but would rather ensure the people benefit from the natural resources from the area.
Before signing the resolution, the Adontenhene of the Dormaa Traditional Council, Barima Okogyetuo Agyemang, appealed to the council to consider factors that encourage the youth to engage in galamsey, coupled with the fact that there could be people whose motive is to engage in galamsey for chiefs to be destooled.
But his suggestion was rejected by the Council with the view that that could be an avenue for some chiefs to engage in the illegal mining activities.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, DORMAA AHENKRO
