Some chiefs are selling farmlands, school grounds to illegal miners – Asantehene told

The residents of Sukwei, Dweneho, and Asempanaye in the Atwima Nwabiagya North and Ahafo Ano Southwest of the Ashanti Region have appealed to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to intervene and deal with illegal mining and the illegal sale of lands.

According to the residents of these communities, the activities of illegal miners are destroying their cocoa farms, water bodies, and forests.

The residents said traditional leaders in the area had adopted measures to deal with the problem, but they would need the support of the overlord to help them.

"As leaders and parents, we want to preserve these lands for the next generation so they will not go hungry. These illegal miners have destroyed our farms, and that has made food crops such as cassava so expensive. That is why we are appealing to the Asantehene to intervene.”

Other traditional leaders and residents accused the Benkumhene and family head of selling land to illegal miners.

Farmers, they claim, have come to the palace to express their outrage over the destruction of their farms and the lack of access to water caused by the destruction of water bodies as a result of illegal mining.

"The main challenge we face is that several farmers from the villages have come to complain to us about not having access to safe drinking water. We invited Benkumhene to come so that we could find a solution to the problems, but he declined. Furthermore, the family head is selling our lands to illegal miners. He’s sold the cemetery, the school grounds, and other properties. We are pleading with the Asantehene to step in. We are going through a difficult time, so we want him to step in.”