Residents of Manso-Abodom, located in the Manso-Nkwanta district of the Ashanti region, are expressing their outrage over illegal mining activities occurring near their community’s cemetery.
The locals are concerned that these operations pose significant health risks and create dangerous conditions for their safety.
Seth Nkrumah, a resident, alleges that the land where the illegal mining is taking place belongs to Kusi Paul, a former youth organizer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In an interview on Otec FM’s political show ‘Dwabrem,’ hosted by Doc Cash on Friday, Nkrumah claimed that illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, has been occurring in the area for years, and that the chiefs and elders are aware of it.
Kusi Paul confirmed his ownership of the land but mentioned that he sold it to an operator for GHC 15,000, with GHC 10,000 being part of the payment made to the chief of Manso Abodom, Nana Antwi Agyei. However, Paul contested the claim that mining is occurring within the cemetery, asserting that the operations are taking place several meters away.
“Following the community’s outcry, the illegal mining activities, which started about a week ago, have halted,” according to Kusi Paul.
