The Chief of Akyem Kwabeng and Gyasehene for Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, Dasebre Ayimadu Kantamanto II has expressed worry over the Havoc that abandoned mining pits are causing in his area.
According to the traditional leader, the agreement between the mining companies and the government was that the miners are to close the pits after they use it to allow the land to rejuvenate and then fallow for other purposes but it seems the companies ignored this arrangement making the use of those lands impossible and even causing deaths.
According to him, the situation has made farming and hunting activities in the area very scary and dangerous since people who commute through those routes fall into the pit unknowingly. The chief recounted that, a 10 year old boy was drowned in one of the pits whiles returning from farm when the parents took the lead.
He revealed that when the news reached him, he reported to the police in the area to help pull the child out but had already lost his life when the rescue team got there.
Dasebre Ayimadu however bemoans the recurrence of this unfortunate situations and indicated that these pits are preventing the traditional authority from giving out lands to people who are in need of it for other purposes like farming.
According to him it is difficult to differentiate between the small scale miners and large scale mining since the miners claim they are affiliated to large scale mining company in the area which is Extra Gold Mining Limited.
The chief also noted that even at the time the state declared a halt on galamsey activities, miners in his area were still in trade since everyone claim they work for the mining company.
He is therefore pleading with the appropriate authorities to sanction these companies to follow all compliance protocols.