A protest by the youth of Sefwi Akontombra against illegal mining activities that have led to the destruction of the Fanoma River in the Western North region has resulted in three people sustaining injuries.
The youth staged a protest on Sunday, March 24, 2024, against illegal mining operations led by Chinese operators in their community. They set ablaze the equipment and structures used for mining at the site.
The youth expressed their frustration over the extensive degradation of land and pollution of water bodies, which they believe posed a threat to their community and its future.
However, during the protest, six gunshots were fired, resulting in injuries to three people.
Ernest Adu Gyamfi, an Assembly member of Sefwi Akontombra, confirmed the incident in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Wednesday.
He indicated that before the protest, the youth engaged with key stakeholders and publicly announced their mission to protect the river.
He also stated that the youth confiscated some equipment from the miners and burned them.
Mr Gyamfi reported that the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Sefwi Akontombra, Yawson Amoah, convened a meeting that led to a revisit to some of these mining sites where additional equipment was confiscated and sent to the District Assembly.
He also indicated that they were waiting for another DISEC meeting to determine the next course of action.
“This incident happened on the 24th day of March 2024. That was a Sunday in Sefwi Akontombra when the youth decided that the only river body that they were surviving on happened to be river Fanoma some illegal miners had been able to destroy the water body.
“Before then they made some announcements at some local information centres before they went to the chief palace and informed the chief and the commander of sefwi Akontombra and the BNI concerning the illegal activities that are going on there.”
“So they decided to embark on that demonstration. So that landed them in the place known as Sampa where they met some illegal miners. They struggled with them and retrieved some of their items that happened to be chamfing, and pumping machines and brought them to Sefwi Akontombra and burnt them at the durbar ground. So, it started on the 24th, it followed on Monday.”
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