Government rather gave out our land for mining without our consent – Central Region Chiefs bemoan
Story: GEORGINA APPIAH
Three Paramount Chiefs in the Central Region of Ghana have raised an alarm that the Ghana Minerals Commission has given out a Forest Reserve (Yenku Forest Reserve) bequeath to them by their forebears to Green Metals for mining without their approval.
The territories include the hunting ground of the Effutu Traditional Area, which sustains the Aboakyer festival.
The disgruntled Chiefs include the Paramount Chiefs of the Effutu State, Neenyi Ghartey VII, Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Area, Oberempong Nyanful Krampah XI and the Gomoa Akyempim Traditional area, Obirifo Ahunako Ahor AnkoBrah II.
In a joint press conference in Winneba to register their displeasure, the chiefs lamented that “last year, this matter of lithium mining within the hunting grounds of ‘Aboakyer’ Festival by Green Metals Resources Limited (GMRL) came up and the Effutu Traditional Council and its people vehemently opposed”.
“Just a year after, we have seen another prospecting license to start mining from 9th November, 2023”.
The chiefs claim the mining activities in the area will destroy the two streams that feed the Muni Lagoon and surrounding communities with fresh water.
They predicted a number of environmental challenges that could befall the communities as a result of the mining activities and strongly objected to the concession given to the mining Company.
“All we are saying is that we have carefully studied what this mining can do to our environment and we say, for the sake of the Protection of our environment, which is also a protected area, we say NO to this concession”, the chiefs emphasized.
The Paramount Chief of Gomoa Ajumako Traditional Area, Oberempong Nyanful Krampah XI, disclosed that “this time, the chiefs are objecting the idea of mining but the government is rather giving the lands out for mining concessions”.
He thus maintained the miming activities in the area would bring destruction to the environment.
The chiefs therefore called on Green Metals to stay away or suffer consequences.
Gnewsprime.com
