by Emmanuel Sowah
In a swift response to renewed threats of illegal mining in the Nyameadiso community, Member of Parliament for the Akontombra Constituency, Mr Pious Kwame Nkuah, convened an emergency meeting with residents to address concerns over an imminent invasion by illegal miners, commonly known as galamseyers.
The meeting, held on Saturday, June 21, followed intelligence received by the MP that a group of illegal miners was preparing to enter the community, following a police operation that had previously driven them away in February.
Addressing the residents, Hon. Nkuah reiterated his strong stance against illegal mining. “We can all testify how I struggled to successfully stop the illegal miners who were here before. We saw firsthand how illegal mining negatively affected this community and others like Asensu. I will not allow another group of illegal miners to come here,” he said firmly.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and unified in rejecting the return of illegal miners. “I have always stated that I do not support galamsey. If anyone approaches you with anyone’s name to engage in illegal mining here, tell them I do not support it, and they should leave,” he added.
Acknowledging the limits of his physical presence, the MP stressed the community’s role in protecting their land. “I do not live in this community with you, and I cannot be here all the time. This community belongs to you, and you have every right to protect what is yours. It is the people of this community who will suffer the consequences of galamsey.”
He encouraged residents to take an active role in safeguarding their environment: “Resist the illegal miners and keep me updated. You can fight against galamsey by not allowing them to use your land and homes.”
The MP’s message was met with enthusiasm and applause from community members. The Assembly Member for the area, speaking on behalf of residents, expressed their gratitude and renewed resolve to protect the community. “Honorable, you can see how happy the people were and how they applauded while you were speaking. This shows that we do not like galamsey, but we were scared. Now that you have given us your support, we will do our best to resist any illegal miners.”
During the meeting, the community also brought up an electrical issue they were facing, along with the financial burden of addressing it. In response, Hon. Nkuah donated funds to cover half the cost of the repairs and asked the community to update him once the issue had been resolved.
The meeting concluded with a strong sense of unity and determination among residents to work with their MP to protect their lands and preserve the environment from the destructive impact of illegal mining.
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