Some landlords at Osino Zongo in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region have sold their houses and compounds to illegal miners for mining activities, sparking fear and outrage among concerned residents.
One landlord is said to have sold his four-bedroom house for ₵800,000 to an illegal miner, a move that has left neighboring households worried their buildings could soon be affected by the underground operations.
Some houses have already been ripped off whiles others pulled down indicating preparation for mining.
The illegal miners, according to residents, operate mainly at night to avoid detection.
However, on Tuesday, October 7, a middle-aged landlord and three accomplices were arrested by a team. led by the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Fanteakwa South, Hon. Mercy Korang, after being caught engaging in illegal mining—popularly known as galamsey—within a residential compound at Akyem Osino Zongo.
The DCE, acting on a tip-off, led a joint team of National Security operatives to the scene, where they found the suspects actively mining underground with tools and washing equipment.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Osino Police for further investigation.
The suspects deceived residents by claiming they were sinking a well, but investigations later revealed that the pit had been expanded deep underground for gold mining.
The DCE Mercy Korang expressed shock and dismay over the discovery, describing it as a “disturbing trend that must be stopped immediately.”
She vowed to intensify the district’s fight against illegal mining, warning residents and property owners who are complicit in galamsey operations that they will face the full force of the law.
Meanwhile, Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has issued a two-week ultimatum to all Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) in the region to profile all miners and their Financiers operating within their jurisdictions for a major crackdown on those polluting the water bodies and degrading forest reserves.
Source: Kojo Ansah
