The Chief of Nsadweso, in the Wassa East District of the Western Region claims some bigwigs in government are behind his community’s illegal mining (galamsey) operations in the Shiem forest reserve.

This follows the deployment of soldiers to the area to stop illegal miners operations, allowing owners of the concession, Golden Star Wassa Limited (GSWL) to lend support to the military operation to cover pits and trenches dug by galamseyers.

Joy News has learnt that the continuous presence of the soldiers during the operation provoked the Nana Bogy Kwaw and four of his elders to storm the premises of the company.

Nana Kwaw demanded the immediate opening of the galamsey pits claiming that he has strong backing from some heavyweights in government he is not willing to name.

According to the minutes of the meeting intercepted by Joy News, the chief allegedly threatened to flush out the operation commander, Captain Nanjo, and would ensure that they are recalled to the barracks.

Joy News can confirm that the soldiers were ordered to pull out of the area the next day, leaving the illegal miners to exploit the forest reserve.

In the last five months, illegal miners have invaded parts of the Shiem forest reserve (popularly known as the Subri Forest) destroying the forest cover and mining in the Subri River.

This is having a telling effect on the rivers and stream in the conservation area.

The Shiem forest area forms part of the mining concession approved and allotted to Golden Star Resources, which operates the Wassa Mines. The company has been protecting all these years as a national asset.

The company realizing the invasion of the illegal miners reported the situation to the Western Regional Security Council through the District Security Council.

They further mobilized the military from the 2BN at Apremdo in Takoradi to evict the illegal miners from the Subri River and the entire forest area.

Subri River is the major source of drinking water for the hundreds of villages within the Wassa area. 

According to the Corporate Affairs Manager of Golden Star Wassa Limited, Gerard Boakye, some members of the youth and residents of Nsadweso requested for land for small-scale mining activities.

But the GSWL team indicated that the company couldn’t cede off part of the concession for such purpose because the law prohibits GWSL to release land to directly to people for small-scale mining activities.

He also mentioned that the company could not do so because the site in question forms part of GSWL’s active mining area and is too close to GSWL operations.

Also, the site is partly in the Subri River Forest Reserve and therefore a no-go area.