Citi News sources within the township say mothers are panic-stricken as they worry their babies might soon go missing.

[contextly_sidebar id=”FOdHGQ86JMQBL7UpLHYx4aHdhVOOOuEh”]Although unofficial reports say about six babies have so far mysteriously disappeared in the area, official police accounts reports of one baby.

The Kyebi Divisional Crime Officer, DSP Emmanuel Issaka, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, said the police have so far exhausted all their leads in the investigations.

He added that “the mother left the children who are twins under the care of her husband’s senior sister, a 66-year old woman, and went to the Suhum market. Upon her return, she called out the children and the senior one came, but they were looking for the junior one and he was nowhere to be found. The mother left for the market around 11 o’clock and returned at about 3 o’clock. The child was detected missing about 3.30pm,” he said.

DSP Issaka added that “So far, we haven’t gotten any leads yet, We’ve gotten some media houses to put it out there immediately.”

The incident of missing children, although not new in Ghana rarely occurs.

In 2014, a major case of a missing baby was reported in the Ashanti Region, involving one Suweiba Abdul Moomen whose baby mysteriously disappeared at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

After a long back and forth  and inconsistencies in reports by authorities, Suweiba gave up the matter, and had another child 3 years later.

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By: Sixtus Dong-Ullo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Police investigates mysterious disappearance of baby in Kyebi appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the lead researcher working on the Kyebi reclamation sites, Johann Zietsman, the samples they started gathering in March 2017, measure as high as two parts per a billion meter, (2ppb).

The government in November 2017 launched the Kyebi Reclamation Project to reclaim 18 illegal mining sites in Kyebi in the Eastern Region.

The exercise, which according to the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, is in two phases, will be replicated in other illegal mining sites across the country.

The lead researcher for the project at the inauguration of a board to oversee the project in Accra on January, 22, 2018, said the mercury content is very alarming.

He explained that, “My team and I have been on the ground since March last year [2017]. We were given eighteen blocs and these are quite huge blocs. We have surveyed these areas to look at the mercury contamination and also the topographic challenges of the area. We have been on the ground for many months; we have done soil sampling of three different areas.  It’s a very large area, per the map given to us by the traditional Council.”

“It goes all the way from Afiyaase area, all the way to the main Kyebi-Kumasi road. It goes over 10 kilometres in one direction and probably another 8 kilometres in the other direction. As we speak now, our teams are going back. We are working on the World Health Organisation specs which is below 2ppm thus two parts per million of mercury contamination.”

Mr. Zietsman noted that, “We have discovered some disturbing areas which luckily for us are isolated.  It’s actually as high as 2ppb thus two parts per billion of mercury contamination. We have even discovered some areas which have got even 4ppb, thus 4 parts per billion, that means; it is over 2 thousand times higher than what is allowed by the World Health Organisation Regulations.”

Environment Ministry to ban mercury use in mining

The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Frimpong Boateng, in December 2017, revealed government’s intentions to drastically reduce the use of mercury in mining activities in the country as it poses serious health hazards.

As a result, Ghana has signed an agreement with the MINAMATA Convention.

The Convention seeks to ban the use of mercury in artisanal mining to reduce health risks.

In an interview with Citi Business News, Professor Frimpong Boateng also indicated that plans are advanced to wipe out mercury usage and its health implications in Ghana.

The move is in line with the Minamata Convention, which among other things seeks an end to the use of harmful chemicals such as mercury due to its devastating record on the life of people in Minamata in Japan.

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By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Mercury content in Kyebi mining areas alarming – Researcher appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The three Chinese; Leo, Xing, Xun, and the Ghanaian, Abu Douglas, were flouting government’s ban on all forms of small-scale mining in the country, and were back mining illegally on their site.

Detective-sergeant Kamal Gumah of the Kibi DCID, who confirmed the arrest to Citi News, stated that they effected the arrest with the help of the sub-committee of the mines and environment in Kyebi.

“On May 31st at about 12:30 pm, Sergeant Emmanuel Norshie of Kibi District Police Command i/c D/Cpl Thomas Kanbi on board vehicle with registration no_GP3582 driven by PC. Frank Hagan with the help of East Akyem Municipal Agric, Mines and Environment subcommittee, arrested and brought to Kibi charge office three Chinese nationals and a Ghanaian namely Mr Leo,Mr Xing,Mr Xun and Douglas Abu and reported that the above-named suspects were met at a section of Akyem Segymaase near Danyame Farms engaging in illegal mining with one excavator machine.”

Detective-sergeant Kamal Gumah added that “efforts are being made to track the excavator to the station for further action, and we also took some photographs at the scene for evidential purposes.”

He said the suspects are yet to be cautioned and are still in custody.

“We have brought the three Chinese to the station including their Ghanaian accomplice, the necessary documentation will be made as soon as possible”.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 3 Chinese, Ghanaian arrested for flouting mining ban near Kyebi appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Okyenhene is livid over claims of his supposed ties to illegal mining, along with a BNI report alleging same, and has vowed to sue anybody who disrespects him by associating him with the menace.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BJ08SFbW0VTJUINm0zdJcN5aZJTkwSe9″]He said he was no longer going to take accusations lying down and “anybody that my lawyers hear impugn my name with this activity will have to meet us in court.”

Osagyefuo Ofori Panin vented his frustrations when members of the Council of State paid a courtesy call on him as part of their tour and assessment of areas affected by illegal mining.

Allegations are crazy

The Okyenhene stressed the magnitude of the effects of illegal mining, which he described as a “betrayal of the future generations” and from a logical standpoint, the chief saw no sense in mining on a land he owned illegally when he could just as easily get a licence.

“If the land in Akyem Abuakwa is mine and I have an interest in gold, can’t I go to the Minerals Commission to pick up a license to do mining properly if that is what I choose to do.? It is crazy for anybody to think that I would get up at night and go and steal my own land.”

“Illegal mining is a criminal activity and for anybody to impugn my name with an activity that is criminal is a serious one. I know too much and I love this nation too much to even engage in it. How much money can it even pay me.”

“I am tired of my family and my friends and the people who know me hearing that somehow I am involved in this,” Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated.

As far as the allegations are concerned, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources stepped in to quell any links between the Okyenhene and illegal mining, noting that the Okyenhene’s Foundation has rather been at the forefront of the fight against illegal mining.

The ministry took into account media publications saying the BNI had in a report, mentioned the Okyenhene’s palace as “perceived to be behind illegal mining activities in the Kyebi area”.

The Okyenhene, on his part, demanded an immediate apology from the BNI for wrongfully accusing him of engaging in illegal mining activities.

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By: Kojo Agyeman & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post I will sue anyone who tags me with galamsey – Okyenhene appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

These indications come some three weeks after the deadline of the nationwide ultimatum from government ordering the cessation of illegal mining activities, known locally as galamsey.

[contextly_sidebar id=”9H8tkIvU4sIGHNhupREFwEL29GBK8w0R”]Residents have been complaining that the illegal miners have flouted the government’s orders, and the Assembly Member for the area, Emmanuel Akyeanor Tabi, expressed fears that  the miners have no intention of leaving the sites they operate on.

He explained that, the mining area in question was under a legal concession, but he alleged that the concessionaire had been leasing out land to the illegal miners.

Narrating to Citi News, Akyeanor Tabi said “the genesis of the whole thing is that, the place is under concession, but they released it to galamsey miners. So they [the illegal miners] were doing galamsey, they destroyed the water bodies, they mined without reclaiming and all kind of things.”

“So the Minerals Commission revoked that license temporarily, pending the concessionaire’s ability to reclaim all the land and dredge the rivers destroyed, and then they will see if they will be able reallocate the license to him.”

But Mr. Akyeanor Tabi said the concessionaire is yet to adhere to the Minerals Commission’s directive and has gone on to “bring in new galamsey operators who are working in the concession. They have paid the concessionaire and the concessionaire has asked them to come back and work.”

The effects of illegal mining in Kyebi as a whole have been well documented with the shutdown of the Ghana Water Company treatment plant at Kyebi in March 2017.

The treatment plant, which takes water from the Birim River flowing from the Atiwa Forest, is seen to be heavly polluted by illegal gold mining activities.

Akrofusu calls for more security

The fear of a return of illegal mining extends to the Akrofusu electoral in the Atiwa District, where the Assembly member of that area, Kwaku Nyarko, complained to Citi News that illegal mining with heavy equipment was still ongoing.

This is despite the efforts of security personnel in the area, according to the Assemblyman, who said, “the galamsey situation at my end is still going on, especially with the chanfang and excavator, and chanfang miners who are in the river.”

“We ordered men from the Anyinam district, and we took up some operations; but immediately after the operation, they started working again… the police are still embarking on the operation, but they wait and work in the night.”

In light of the security struggles, Mr. Nyarko said government, “should bring more men so that we will be able to combat the galamsey people from there.”

Minerals Commission believes galamsey has almost stopped

These concerns come on the back of the Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission, Dr. Tony Aubynn, saying that illegal small-scale mining activities were close to zero in the country following the intense media campaign and government action.

According to him, there were clear indications that illegal miners have suspended their operations and vacated their sites after government intervention.

Speaking in an interview on Eyewitness News’ Pointblank segment, Dr. Tony Aubynn said “when the ultimatum was given weeks ago, we were all waiting to see what will happen, but at the end of it, when we went round to the places, we saw virtually no mining activity going on, almost total cessation. By and large, there was no mining, and what we also saw was that, a lot of excavators, a lot of them had been parked. For now, we have seen that it [galamsey] has stopped,” he said.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Galamsey returning – Segyimase, Akrofusu residents express fears appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Confirming the incident to Citi News, Detective Sergeant  Kamal Guma of the Kyebi Divisional Police Command, said the school bus was on its way to convey examination papers when the accident occurred.

“…It was a school bus which belongs to Nsutem Senior High School, which was on its way to Abuakwa State College to convey exams papers to final year students at Nsutem who are writing their WASSCE; but upon reaching a section of the road at Segyimase, a motor rider crossed the bus which resulted in the accident.”

Detective Sergeant Guma added that “the occupants of the school bus, a police constable called Frederick Nkansah, the bus driver Hayford Amoako aged 45, and a tutor, sustained injuries as well as the motor rider Isaac Nkansah 62 years. They were all rushed to the Kibi Government Hospital, but unfortunately Isaac Nkansah died shortly upon arrival at the hospital, but the three others who were in the bus are in a stable condition and are responding to treatment.”

Detective Guma added that, the police is still investigating, “we have opened investigations into the incident and we will soon come out with our findings.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 62-yr-old motorist killed in collision with bus appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The treatment plant which takes water from the Birim River which flows from the Atewa Forest to be treated and supplied for both domestic and residential usage, has been badly affected by the activities of galamsey operators who mine gold in the lands and forest of Kyebi.

[contextly_sidebar id=”OGxJ5JimbHF3jxsNvUDcdgIHOK3tstSz”]When Citi News visited the place to assess the extent of damage, students who were supposed to be in school were seen with bowls and bucket queuing at a borehole to fetch water.

It is understood that the borehole situated close to the Presbyterian church is now the only source of water supply to the entire Kyebi community where people from far away communities hire taxi cabs to come and fetch water with gallons.

In an interview with Citi News, Honery Ametekpey, the Municipal water company manager at Kyebi, revealed that their decision to shut down the water treatment plant was due to the uncontrollable effects the activities of galamsey operators is having on their operations as it is harming the efficiency of their machines.

He said “for the past one month, we have not been able to supply the people of Kyebi with potable water, the activities of galamsey operators have rendered our work useless in this municipality. Before we treat the water, we look at the turbidity of the water you are going to treat, the maximum we are supposed to treat is 200, but as at today, it is 4,600, we tried treatment when it was around 1000, but now it has gone overboard because of the activities of the galamsey operators.”

He added that, the people of Kyebi are now struggling because they cannot get good water to use for their daily lives.

“My great concern is with the two secondary schools here, I went this morning to access the situation and to speak to the headmistress on how we can help, but I found out that students had queued in their uniforms fetching water during classes hours.”

Mr. Ametekpey thus called on all stakeholders to be involved in fighting galamsey.

“This situation can be worsened in a short time, for us to make a headway, the government should assemble a huge number of military personnel to come and take charge of this area for one month to clamp down on galamsey operators and I believe this will help us.”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kyebi left with single borehole as treatment plant shuts down appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The deceased student, Boris Commodore, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital after complaining of severe stomach pains after supper at the school’s dining hall.

But the concerned father believes his son may have been poisoned by another student, following an earlier altercation between his son and the student over a girl in the school.

The deceased boy’s father recounted to Citi News that, he was informed that “after dining the previous night, by 12 [midnight] my child was complaining of a stomach ache. So because they could not rush him to the hospital [at that moment], they were waiting for dawn to get a car.”

“By 3:00 am, the thing became worse; so by the time they picked the child from the school to the hospital and reached the hospital, the child was already dead,” Mr. Commodore said.

The boy’s father narrated that, at the mortuary, he saw his dead son foaming from the nostrils; and according to him, “everybody, including the mortuary attendants, were saying that these kinds of deaths are associated with poison.”

He thus believes the student his son had the physical altercation with may have been behind the death, “so I am suspecting by what they were saying and the previous incident that there is foul play,” Mr. Commodore stated.

Police awaiting professional assessment

Meanwhile, police have been cautious in describing death as a murder.

In a Citi News interview, the Kyebi District Police Commander, DSP Marian Osei, said investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of death.

“We are looking at the information that has been reported to us. That is the basis of our investigation,” DSP Osei stated, and called for any other available information.

In light of the allegations of foul play and poisoning, she also stated that “for someone to expressly state the reason or the cause of one’s death, it must come from a qualified medical doctor’s or toxicologist’s report.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post SHS student dies from stomach ache, father suspects foul play appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.