Hundreds of residents in the Berekum Municipality and the Berekum West District have embarked on a street protest to express their displeasure over the growing illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, at Benkasa and Amomaso farming communities.
The protestors, comprising farmers, youth groups and opinion leaders, wore red armbands and headgear as they marched through the principal streets of Berekum and presented a petition to the Berekum Municipal Assembly.
They said the illegal mining activities had caused extensive destruction of crops, arable farmlands and water bodies, and called on the Government to intensify efforts to curb the menace.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Mathew Oluman, an opinion leader at Benkasa and spokesperson for the protestors, expressed regret that many farmers, particularly women, had lost their livelihoods as a result of the illegal mining activities.
He also raised concerns about the rapid destruction of forest reserves and vegetation cover, warning that the trend posed a serious threat to agriculture and food production in the area.
Mr Oluman noted that the pollution of rivers and streams by illegal miners also endangered public health and the environment.
He said residents were highly disappointed in the efforts of some security agencies and regulatory institutions in addressing the problem and urged the authorities to take swift and decisive action to protect farmlands and water resources.
