Farmers in the Birim North District are struggling with the destruction of their farmlands and the pollution of the Pra River due to unchecked mining activities, raising alarm over the threat to food security in the region.
Helena Korkor, a smallholder farmer, recently lost her 40-year-old oil palm and cocoa farms in Tweapease Number Two to mining operations. With four dependents to care for, she tearfully described her struggle, stating, “My blood pressure has gone beyond normal due to the depression I’m going through. How do I feed my children?”
Beyond the destruction of crops, the environmental damage is becoming unbearable for many communities. Farmers like Akua Tiwaah have witnessed their crops fail to thrive, particularly when irrigated with water from the polluted Pra River.
“Our okro and garden eggs burn and wilt; it’s getting worse by the day,” she lamented. Portions of the river have been diverted and contaminated, with turbidity levels rendering the water unusable for both agriculture and daily life.
The situation violates the Water Resources Commission Act 1996, Act 522, and contradicts Ghana’s commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. In Akyem Abodom, residents have observed streams at the river’s estuary becoming more polluted by the day, leaving them in despair.
Kotoku Abodom Chief, Nana Owusu Asamoah, has called for an immediate halt to mining activities to safeguard the livelihoods of his people. “Our palm fruit yields are already dropping due to weather changes, but the miners have devastated our farms. How these lands are given away without consultation is baffling,” he said.
Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of rural livelihoods and contribute significantly to national agricultural production, are now seeing their lifelines eroded by illegal mining. The once-thriving oil palm plantations that provided steady income are now dwindling. As more lands are cleared for mining, these farmers are left with little to no recourse, fearing the worst for their future.
The socio-cultural fabric of the community is also being torn apart. Opinion leader Robert Owusu expressed deep concern about the impact of mining on local youth, noting a rise in delinquency, teenage pregnancies, and open defecation due to the influx of miners and their activities. “Children are being drawn into this mess. It’s beyond a plea for government intervention—it’s their duty to bring this destruction to an end.”
Despite growing protests, many farmers feel powerless as the destruction continues unabated. Calls for political accountability have intensified, with some local chiefs suspected of complicity, as they continue to lease farmlands for mining ventures, leaving the community’s future hanging in the balance.
Source: 3news
