{"id":316759,"date":"2017-05-05T14:46:54","date_gmt":"2017-05-05T14:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=316759"},"modified":"2017-05-05T14:46:54","modified_gmt":"2017-05-05T14:46:54","slug":"galamsey-returning-segyimase-akrofusu-residents-express-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/05\/galamsey-returning-segyimase-akrofusu-residents-express-fears\/","title":{"rendered":"Galamsey returning – Segyimase, Akrofusu residents express fears"},"content":{"rendered":"
Reports from Segyimase near Kyebi in the East Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region indicate that illegal mining activities are gradually resurfacing.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”9H8tkIvU4sIGHNhupREFwEL29GBK8w0R”]Residents have been complaining that the illegal miners have flouted the government\u2019s orders, and the Assembly Member for the area, Emmanuel Akyeanor Tabi, expressed fears that \u00a0the miners have no intention of leaving the sites they operate on.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Narrating to Citi News<\/strong>, Akyeanor Tabi said \u201cthe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo the Minerals Commission revoked that license temporarily, pending the concessionaire\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n But Mr. Akyeanor Tabi said the concessionaire is yet to adhere to the Minerals Commission\u2019s directive and has gone on to \u201cbring 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The effects of illegal mining in Kyebi as a whole have been well documented with the shutdown<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of the Ghana Water Company treatment plant at Kyebi in March 2017.<\/p>\n