Concerned Cocoa Farmers in the Ellembelle District on Saturday, June 1, stormed an illegal mining site at Sendu to express their frustration and opposition to the destruction of their cocoa farms and water bodies.
The Leader of the Ellembelle Concerned Cocoa Farmers, Benjamin Azachie speaking after presenting their petition to the Ellembelle Member of Parliament, appealed to him to help stop the forced takeover of cocoa farms by “galamseyers” in the area which is destroying their investment and water bodies.
In an interview with Citi News, 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.“
Another resident Ama Amihere also said, “They have destroyed rubber farms and also cheated the farmers after forcefully taking their farms. So, we are pleading with government that what is happening is not lawful.”
The once-clean River Fia has been polluted after the invasion of “galamsey” activities in the Nyamebekyere-Sendu area of Ellembelle.
Nicholas Kofi Mawuli, the Assemblyman for the area, Nyamebekyere Electoral Area, expressed concerns about the use of Chinese in fronting illegality.
After over an hour of demonstrating at the Sendu galamsey site, the Convener of the Concerned Cocoa Farmers of Ellembelle presented their petition to the MP for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
The Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Armah-Kofi Buah assured the cocoa farmers to forward their concerns to Parliament, urging the residents to speak against “galamsey.”
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