Residents of Osuben in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region have dared government and a Taiwanese Mining firm to proceed with mining activities in their community.
The residents registered their displeasure on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, when the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, visited the town as part of his five-day working visit to the area.
The residents shouted at the Minister and his entourage, indicating strongly that no mining activity would be allowed in the area.
Attempts to calm down the angry residents proved futile, leaving the Minister and his team as well as the Taiwanese nationals helpless.
The residents say its their cocoa that they want and not gold.
“We don’t like gold money oo we don’t like gold money,” they screamed at the Minister.
“Our cocoa is what we like,” they said, adding that “if it rains we are not able to use our roads.
They booed at the team as they referred to the mine owners as ” thieves.”
It is the second time they have revolted against the Chinese firm called Soon Mining Co. Limited.
It was an embarrassing moment for the Minister and the second of such protests to greet him in the region.
On Tuesday, July 30, 2019, residents of Esaase protested against the presence of a Chinese Mining firm, Akroma Gold Limited when the Minister visited the town.
At the core of all the protests are lack of infrastructure such as
roads, decent school blocks and health facilities.
Roads in the mining towns are all in deplorable state, and usually muddy during rainy season.
BY Melvin Tarlue