Kingmakers of the Ekuona Royal Family and some farmers at Pakyi No.1 are unhappy with their Chief for allowing a surge in illegal mining activities in the area.

They accused the Chief of selling farmlands for galamsey activities.

Residents also say their sources of water supply have been destroyed by the heavy pollution from mining activities.

Cocoa farms and other lands for food crops have been excavated for gold mining at Pakyi No.1 in the Amansie West District.

Vast farmlands have been left with huge gullies posing danger to other farmers in the enclave.

To get water for domestic chores, residents trek for almost two kilometres daily.

Most of the residents now depend on rainwater for domestic chores and farming activities.

Farmer Alima Osman says her only source of water for irrigation was the Akai Stream which has been destroyed through illegal mining.

Most of the farmers here are not natives and therefore own no lands.

They have no say when the farmlands are taken from them for other purposes.

The Ghana Cocoa Board projects its annual cocoa output to rise to 1.6million tonnes by 2026. But this is threatened by the activities of illegal miners.

Mining equipment are visible at most sites visited at Pakyi No.1.

At a site close to Manso-Nyare, a Chinese is in the company of other Ghanaians working.

The land belongs to natives of Pakyi No.1.

The leader of the team, Kennedy Twumasi, claims their boss is in Kumasi.

Some young miners the news team met at another site were working with shovels and pickaxes.

Without excavators, they are able to mine to make a living.

Yahya Abdulai says he is a senior high school graduate.

Mined lands are left uncovered.

The head of Ekoana clan, Nana Akwasi, has laid the blame on the Chief of Pakyi No. 1.

Meanwhile, the youth in Pakyi No.1 are planning to demonstrate against the Chief, who has failed to respond to the accusations.