FARMERS IN OSENASE CRY OVER GALAMSEY ACTIVITIES, POINT FINGERS AT CHIEFS
Some farmers in Osenase in the West Akim municipality of Eastern region have raised concerns about galamsey activities destroying their farm lands and accused chiefs of the Osenase community of giving their lands to the galamseyers and shielding them with their personal security guards.
Speaking to the media, the leader of farmers in Nyankomase, a suburb of Osenase in the West Akim municipality of Eastern region, Mr. Seth Anum Larye lamented that, illegal miners have taken over their farm lands without their concerned and destroying their crops.
According to him, the galamseyers are being guided by security taskforce who he alleged to be security guards of a certain chief in Osenase and they have threatened them to desist from entering the land else they will hurt them.
He added that the only river (Densuako) that serves as a source of water for the people of Akyem Osenase and its neighbouring towns has just recently been polluted badly due to the galamsey activities yet the chiefs and authorities in the community are not doing anything to stop them.
He has therefore called on the government as a matter of agency to deploy anti-galamsey security personnel to Osenase and it’s neighbouring communities like Nyankomase to hault the harmful activities of galamsey on their farm lands and water bodies.
Responding to the allegations levied against the chiefs of Osenase of having hands in the galamsey activities in the area, the Gyaasehene of Osenase, Baffour Oduro Sarfo divulged that, it is very true there is galamsey activities going on in the Osenase and its surrounding areas but they as sub-chiefs do not have hands in it.
He further added that they have appointed a regent chief who is acting as the chief of Osenase and alleged to be releasing lands to the galamseyers without their knowledge and even shielding them with his own personal bodyguards, therefore the chiefs and elders of Osenase would wish the government steps in to hault their deadly activities.
