Chiefs, elders, and residents of Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo region have united under the banner of the Tetretem Royal Family to resist what they call a “systematic destruction” of their ancestral stool lands by illegal mining (galamsey) operations.

At a tense press briefing on Monday in Duayaw-Nkwanta, Nana Asamaa Kofi Ofori Adu, spokesperson for the Tetretem Royal Family, announced a bold stand against the growing invasion of their lands by unregulated miners.

The family’s statement decried the surge of galamsey activities across sacred and forested areas such as Adrobaa, Bisi, Adagyamem, and the Aparapi Forest Reserve, all of which fall under the Duayaw-Nkwanta traditional jurisdiction.

“Farmlands are vanishing, rivers have turned into pools of poison, and the forest that once fed generations is being ripped apart by excavators,” Nana Ofori Adu lamented.

From Green to Gray: Nature on the Brink

He indicated that the illegal mining has left a scar across the Ahafo landscape.

What were once vibrant cocoa and plantain farms are now wastelands of stagnant, mercury-laced water.

Rivers that sustained both humans and animals have turned brown with silt and chemical residue.

“The ecosystem here is collapsing before our eyes,” said one of the chiefs who attended the briefing. “We are watching biodiversity disappear.”

Human Lives at Risk

According to the chief, the community is also grappling with serious public health implications.

Mercury and cyanide used in small-scale mining are contaminating water sources, exposing residents to long-term risks such as kidney failure, skin diseases, and neurological damage.

"Foreign nationals from China, Senegal, and Guinea are allegedly operating within Adagyamem and its surroundings with the knowledge of certain local authorities."

“This isn’t just a local issue—it’s an organised network exploiting our land under the guise of development,” the family lamented.

Appeal to the Throne, the Presidency, and the World

Consequently, the Tetretem Royal Family and community members have petitioned Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to intervene and restore order to the Duayaw-Nkwanta stool lands.

They have also petitioned President John Mahama, the Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and national and international environmental and human rights organisations, urging a coordinated crackdown on the illegal mining syndicates destroying Ahafo’s natural heritage.

“The world cannot remain silent while our environment is being killed,” Nana Ofori Adu appealed. “We are calling on the United Nations, ECOWAS, and global green movements to support our fight for survival.”

A Plea for Peaceful Resistance

While local anger grows, the Tetretem Royal Family has called on the youth of the area who have planned to embark on a demonstration to refrain from violence or unlawful acts, instead urging dialogue and legal redress.

“We understand the frustration,” Nana Ofori Adu said, “but we must protect our dignity and allow legitimate authorities to act.”

A Global Echo of a National Struggle

Ghana’s illegal mining problem has drawn global concern, with satellite imagery showing extensive environmental degradation across several regions.

Experts warn that if unregulated mining continues at the current pace, Ghana could lose up to 60% of its arable land and 80% of its freshwater sources within decades.