Some of the angry residents
Tension is mounting in Manso Nyakomase, a community in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region, as residents have vowed to resist what they describe as an illegal and unauthorised land reclamation exercise being undertaken on their small-scale mining site without their approval.
The residents, made up of small-scale miners, youth groups, and traditional leaders, say the move is a deliberate attempt by some faceless individuals to seize control of their community’s mining concession under the pretext of reclamation.
At a press conference on Monday, the spokesperson for the community, Mr. Sarkodie Dominic, disclosed that some unidentified persons had tried to bring in heavy-duty machinery, including excavators, to commence reclamation activities without consulting the rightful landowners.
“This land belongs to families and individuals within Manso Nyakomase. It is not state-owned and does not fall within any forest reserve or government concession,” Mr. Sarkodie stated. “We are still working on our sites, and no one has the right to reclaim our land until our mining activities are over.”
He further stressed that the residents are responsible miners who are mindful of environmental protection, and have already planned to reclaim the land themselves once mining operations are completed.
The visibly aggrieved residents have issued a three-day ultimatum to those behind the alleged takeover to remove all machinery from their site or face stiff resistance from the community.
Several residents who spoke to the media expressed outrage over what they termed a calculated move to dispossess them of their livelihoods. They accused some local leaders of secretly negotiating with outsiders to allow the exercise, warning that such acts of betrayal would not be tolerated.
“We are not against reclamation, but it should be done fairly and with our full involvement,” one resident said. “We depend entirely on mining for survival, and any attempt to take our land without consent is a direct attack on our lives.”
The residents have appealed to the District Chief Executive for Amansie South, Benjamin Marfo, and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to intervene immediately to prevent the issue from escalating into a violent confrontation.
They also urged the ministry to investigate the alleged illegal reclamation attempt as well as bring the perpetrators to book, to ensure peace and fairness in the area.
Meanwhile, tension remains high in Manso Nyakomase as residents continue to resist what they describe as an “unlawful and unjust” attempt to take over their concession. The community maintains that while it supports responsible reclamation, it will not allow any individual or group to exploit the process for personal gain.
FROM David Afum, Manso Nyakomase