Chinese and Ghanaian-led galamsey operators have invaded a 261-acre land in the Breman-Adomanya forest area of the Wassa Amenfi West District in the Western Region, devastating timber trees, cocoa, rubber farms, and polluting the nearby River Tano.
The galamseyers, whose destruction is well known by police personnel in and around the Asankragwa area, attacked Citi News’ Western Regional Correspondent, Akwasi Agyei Annim, damaging his production equipment in the full glare of a police escort while filming.
Annim reports that the confrontation began when journalists arrived at the site to take detailed shots of the devastated areas. However, a security guard on-site alerted the galamseyers, who soon began to gather.
The mob pounced on the journalists, heckling them, and forcefully ending their coverage by seizing their camera, microphones, and Annim’s mobile phone as he attempted to record the altercation.
Despite the presence of a four-member police escort, the galamseyers, led by Yaw Kurankyi—a figure believed to have sold the land to the illegal miners—continued their assault.
Kurankyi humiliated Annim with insults and used his pickup vehicle to block the journalists’ exit, detaining them until 7 PM. The mob demanded that all recordings be deleted before allowing them to leave the site.
It took the arrival of police reinforcements for the journalists to finally leave the area, but only after a promise to delete the videos at the Asankrangwa District Police Station. Upon arrival at the police station, Yaw Kurankyi was arrested by the Asankrangwa Police, and the journalists’ statements were taken.
Meanwhile, Isaac Bekye, who shed light on the destruction by the galamseyers, explained how traditional authorities and police personnel in the area have not been supportive in intervening in the activities of galamsey.
“What is happening on Adomanya lands currently is not good at all. Illegal mining operators have destroyed a vast area of 261 acres of land, including cocoa, trees, food crops, and rivers. Some of us have complained and reported over and over to authorities to no avail.
“Traditional authorities and other authorities have failed to listen to us. The galamseyers chase us away with guns and cutlasses whenever we come here. We plead with operators, including Dabeina and Abegyin companies, to stop the destruction,” he stated.
He further called on the government to bring the destruction to an end.
“We all voted for a change to bring peace and protect our environment. We call on the government, especially the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, to intervene with heavy security personnel to stop the destruction of water bodies,” he stated.
When Citi News contacted the Asankrangwa Minerals Commission Officer, Clement Adzormah, on the status of Ebegee Mining Company Limited and Dabena Mining Company who are behind this galamsey devastation and attack on the journalists, Clement Adzormah, refused to provide information on whether or not they have permit to mine and if he has come across those two operators in his monitoring.
He rather directed for such information to be secured from his Headquarters in Accra.