Communities in Potrase, Osino, Kibi, Asikam, and Asiakwa in the Abuakwa South and Fanteakwa South Districts are calling for immediate government intervention as illegal mining (galamsey) activities continue to ravage their water bodies and forests.

At the centre of the allegations are two men allegedly said to be bodyguards of former President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ofori-Panyin Fraizer and Eric Antwi.

Residents accuse them of engaging in illegal mining with impunity, polluting rivers, destroying forests, and endangering livelihoods.

According to distressed residents, these individuals openly boast of their connections to power, claiming they are untouchable.

More troubling, they alleged that some officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Forestry Commission are complicit in these illegal activities.

One key name emerging in the allegations is Dr. Jones Kumi Agyei, a regional officer of the Forestry Commission who was recently transferred from the Eastern Region to the Ashanti Region.

Residents accuse him of facilitating illegal miners’ access to protected forest areas and providing them with protection in exchange for personal benefits.

Sources say Dr. Kumi’s involvement in galamsey is well known.

He recently participated in a mining engagement at Akyem Tafo, which he reportedly attended as a concession owner with interests in the government’s proposed Gold Board.

Many industry players believe his ties to illegal mining, particularly in and around Kibi, are an open secret.

The impact of these illegal mining activities has been catastrophic:

Rivers that once provided clean water to communities have turned into murky, toxic streams. Deforestation has led to increased flooding and soil erosion, putting farmlands and homes at risk. The destruction of water sources has triggered a health crisis, with rising cases of skin diseases and waterborne infections. Farmers are struggling to irrigate their crops, worsening food insecurity in the region.

Frustrated by the destruction, residents are pleading with President John Dramani Mahama, the Ghana Police Service, and the military to intervene and bring those responsible to justice.

“We are begging President Mahama to help us. Our rivers are dying, our lands are being destroyed, and our children are suffering. If nothing is done, we will lose everything,” an elder in Asiakwa lamented.

The question remains: Will authorities step in to stop these illegal operations and hold those responsible accountable, or will impunity continue to reign?

The people of Abuakwa South and Fanteakwa South can only wait and hope that their cries for help do not fall on deaf ears.