On Saturday, June 1, concerned cocoa farmers in the Ellembelle District took over an illegal mining site at Sendu to voice their displeasure and protest against the damage of their water sources and cocoa farms.
After delivering their petition to the Ellembelle Member of Parliament, Benjamin Azachie, the head of the Ellembelle Concerned Cocoa Farmers, pleaded with him to assist in halting the takeover of cocoa fields by “galamseyers” in the area, which is ruining their investment and water sources.
Grace Amihere, a resident of Ellembelle said:
“I’m demonstrating because of the pollution of our water and destruction of cocoa farms. How are we going to feed our children with the destruction of our farms? The operators suddenly came without prior notice to us.
“They tried to pay off my brother to mine in his cocoa farm, but because he refused to accept their money, they have destroyed half of the farm. Why are they doing this to us? This is what worries us. President Akufo-Addo must address this concern. Right now, farmers are not getting water to drink.
Following the invasion of “galamsey” activities in the Nyamebekyere-Sendu district of Ellembelle, the once-clean River Fia has become contaminated.
The assemblyman for the Nyamebekyere Electoral Area, Nicholas Kofi Mawuli, voiced concerns on the use of Chinese to mask unlawful activity.
The Convener of the Concerned Cocoa Farmers of Ellembelle delivered their petition to Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the MP for Ellembelle, following more than an hour of protesting at the Sendu galamsey site.
Residents were asked to speak out against “galamsey” by the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Armah-Kofi Buah, who guaranteed the cocoa producers that their concerns would be forwarded to Parliament.
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