By Robert Tachie Menson
Wamfie (B/R), July 24, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang, the Dormaa East District Chief Executive (DCE) has said ‘galamsey’ (illegal mining) activities have reduced in the district.
Mr Agyemang said the District Assembly Management’s observation and investigations revealed that the illegal miners, particularly non-natives who had indulged in the business, were leaving the ‘galamsey’ sites.
The DCE said he had led a team of security officials including the Police on a verification tour to nine communities where galamsey was rife but did not see illegal miners at work as hitherto was the situation.
Mr Agyemang was speaking to the media at Wamfie, the district capital in the Bono Region, saying the team arrested six out of eight persons who were spotted on ‘galamsey’ sites at the communities visited.
He advised the youth to channel their energies to even less energy-sapping, but more lucrative productive ventures and desist from engaging in illegal mining activities, as it was riskier in terms of either going to jail if arrested and prosecuted or losing one’s life through accident.
On other developmental activities in the district, Mr Agyemang said work on the Nseseresu canopy walkway being constructed over a dam was ongoing, indicating that it would serve farmers not only in that community but also Asuhyiae, a nearby town and other surrounding communities.
He said since those communities were farming areas, notably for the growing of tomatoes, the farmers closer to the dam area would benefit mostly through increased productivity because of the availability of water during the dry season.
Mr. Agyemang added the canopy walkway expected to be completed by the end of this year would serve as an ecotourism attraction facility to attract both domestic and international tourists to create employment opportunities and increase the revenue base of the district for the Assembly to finance development projects.
GNA