By Grace Zigah
The Atronie Traditional Authority in the Bono Region has issued a one-week ultimatum to alleged illegal miners operating at Jinijini to leave the area, as traditional leaders accuse the operators of destroying farmlands, threatening livelihoods and creating fear among hundreds of farmers.
The Traditional Authority says the situation has reached a critical stage, warning that future generations will judge governments harshly if illegal mining activities are allowed to destroy agricultural lands and displace farmers despite repeated national commitments to fight galamsey.
Addressing journalists at the disputed mining site at Jinijini in the Atronie Traditional Area of the Sunyani Municipality, Secretary to the Atronie Traditional Authority, Nana Yaw Ampofo, said many farmers were living in fear and could no longer freely access lands from which they had earned their livelihoods for years.
Speaking on behalf of the Traditional Authority, Nana Ampofo alleged that armed landguards associated with the mining activities had created an atmosphere of intimidation in the area.
According to him, the development has effectively forced hundreds of farmers away from their farms, leaving families whose livelihoods depend on agriculture facing considerable uncertainty.
“What crime have these farmers committed?” he asked. “Their only offence is trying to earn an honest living from the land inherited from their forefathers. Today, they are unable to step onto their farms because they fear for their lives.”
The Traditional Authority maintains that the affected farmers are innocent residents whose primary concern is to return safely to their farms and continue providing for their families.
Nana Ampofo said what makes the situation particularly disturbing is that the alleged mining activities are not occurring in a distant or inaccessible forest but on farmlands approximately 15 kilometres from Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital.
He consequently questioned how such activities could continue despite the government’s repeated declarations of its determination to combat illegal mining and protect the environment.
“The people do not understand how a country that claims to be fighting illegal mining can sit unconcerned while poor farmers are chased away from their livelihoods and the environment is destroyed before the eyes of everyone,” he stated.
Traditional Authority Questions Security Response
The Atronie Traditional Authority says it has made several attempts to secure intervention from state authorities.
According to Nana Ampofo, complaints have been brought to the attention of the Bono Regional Minister and the District, Divisional and Regional Police Commands, but the Authority says the interventions it expected have not materialised.
He expressed frustration that Sunyani, as the regional capital, hosts the regional headquarters of several security agencies and military facilities, yet the Traditional Authority believes sufficient action has not been taken to protect the affected farmers and environment.
The Authority therefore wants the government and security agencies to intervene immediately before the situation deteriorates further.
Nana Ampofo argued that the continuing presence of the alleged miners, coupled with what the Authority describes as intimidation of farmers, risks undermining public confidence in the national campaign against galamsey.
Boundary Dispute Claims Rejected
The controversy has also taken on a traditional land dimension.
Nana Ampofo alleged that persons involved in the mining operations are from the Dormaa area and were brought to Jinijini by some traditional authorities from Wamfie, also referred to as Mansin.
The Atronie Traditional Authority further accused those behind the activities of attempting to portray the controversy as a boundary dispute rather than focusing on allegations of illegal mining and environmental destruction.
However, Nana Ampofo insisted that Atronie is not engaged in a boundary dispute over the affected area.
According to the Traditional Authority’s account, Atronie shares its boundary with Sunyani around the area in question, while Wamfie, which falls under the Dormaa Traditional Council, shares its boundary with Sunyani farther west.
