Some Cocoa Farmers in Akyem Kyebi in the Eastern Region have expressed worry over the activities of illegal miners popularly known as ‘galamsey’ in the area.
According to them, they have lost most their cocoa trees as result of illegal mining in their cocoa farms.
Speaking to Rite FM’s news in an interview, Mr. Francis Akumantey who happens to be one of the cocoa farmers in the area said, cocoa has no relevance to the galamsey operators in the Kyebi as compare to gold because almost all their cocoa farms along the Birim River have been destroyed by these illegal miners.
He explained that the chiefs and some colleagues within the area have sold most of their lands to the galamsey operators and collect huge money there by undermining the benefit they will get from cocoa hence decreasing the production of cocoa.
He revealed that he was also a victim where about one acre of his cocoa farm has been destroyed by galamsey miners stating that Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and National Security are aware of this bad activities but nothing has been done to control the situation, adding that cocoa production will continue to fall if the situation does not stop.
Source: ritefmonline.org
