Adontehene of Drobo Traditional Council, Nana Bediako Kyeremeh addressing the press
TWO COMMUNITIES in the Jaman South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, Baabianeha and Komfourkrom are opposing the operations of Symphoney Limited which has obtained a prospecting license from the Minerals Commission to engage in small scale mining in the area.
The chiefs and people have rejected the move saying they will fight the company to the last drop of their blood if the company dares mine in the area. The Drobo Traditional Council which has jurisdiction over the two communities have also accused the Omanhene of JapekromTraditional Area, Okatakyie Amoa Aturu Nkonkonkyie for inviting the company to mine in the two communities.
Speaking to DAILY GUIDE on the issue, the Adontehene of Drobo Traditional Council, Nana Bediako Kyeremeh accused the Omanhene of Japekrom Traditional area of neglecting calls from the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to chiefs and all and sundry to fight galamsey but was rather encouraging the illegality.
He said the two communities do not fall under Japekrom Traditional Area but under Drobo Traditional Area so asked him (Japekromhene) to stop influencing the Minerals Commission to grant prospecting license to companies to mine in the area. He commended the communities for resisting the attempt by the Japekrom Omanhene and Symphoney to engage in illegal mining in the area. He said letters of protestation from the two communities and that of Drobo had been dispatched to relevant institutions and personalities in the region including the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, the Regional Police Command, the BNI, and the Brong-Ahafo House of Chiefs, among others, to stop the Japekromhene from engaging the galamseyers.
He asked the government to intervene or else the Drobo Traditional Council will confront the Japekromhene. He asked all communities (villages and towns) under the jurisdiction of the Drobo Traditional Council to be on the lookout for any activities of small scale miners and report them to the council for the necessary actions to be taken.
He commended president, Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo Addo for the bold decision to fight illegal mining saying the council is in full support of the fight against galamsey. He also commended the media for touting the ills of galamsey and the Chief Justice for establishing a special court to handle galamsey issues.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Drobo