Amenfi Central: Farmers Weep As Galamsey Activities Continue To Destroy Cocoa Farms

Cocoa farmers at Krofrom Congo, a farming community in the Wassa Amenfi Central District of the Western Region are pleading with authorities to come to their aid, as galamsey activities continue to destroy their lands and cocoa farms.

The community which is about 40 minutes drive from Bogoso in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality and 20 minutes from Manso Amenfi the capital of Amenfi Central, is currently cut off from other adjoining communities due to downpour amidst the galamsey operations.

The pits created by the activities of the galamsey have also become death traps, especially to children who live in the area.

Speaking to Modernghana News on Wednesday August 30, 2020, the residents complain of how they had even engaged the operators to backfill and rehabilitate their roads for them, but the operators did not heed to their calls.

The action by the operators, they say, has caused the road to block, making it difficult for vehicles to ply it as they used to.

“Aboboyaa and other vehicles even used to come here but not this time around, due to how the operators have destroyed the land. It is raining these days too”, they said.

An opinion leader in the town Mr Adu Boahen said the situation has forced the farmers to carry their bags of cocoa beans on their heads to walk more than 30 minutes before getting a truck to convey them.

He stated that “look at me, as old as I am, I carry cocoa bags on my heard to walk this distance. It is not good. All these have been caused by the galamseyers”.

Mr Adu Boahen said waterways have also been diverted resulting in floods whenever there are rains.

This, they say is causing them problems in the community.

They are therefore calling on authorities to fish out these galamseyers to do the needful.