Dr. Hanna Bisiw-Kotei reveals rising distress calls from mining-affected communities in Ashanti, Western, and Bono regions

The Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), Dr. Hanna Bisiw-Kotei, has disclosed that the Fund continues to receive increasing numbers of distress calls from communities in the Ashanti, Western, and Bono Regions over the destructive impact of illegal mining activities.

However, she disclosed that the Minerals Development Fund is yet to receive any distress call from the northern part of the country regarding illegal mining activities.

“I must be very sincere We’ve not received calls from the northern part of Ghana, but we do receive a lot from the Ashanti region, a lot from the Western region, and some not the same measure, but from the central region as well, and from the Bono region also lately, we’ve been receiving a lot of calls.” She said.

expressed deep concern about the scale of devastation reported by affected residents. According to her, the majority of the complaints relate to environmental degradation, destruction of vital water sources, abandoned mining pits that have become death traps, and a growing sense of helplessness among local communities.

“When they call, they’re talking about their only source of water that has been destroyed. They’re talking about their community that has been devastated. They’re talking about the pits that have been dug and left open that people are falling in and dying, and nothing is happening.” She said.

Dr. Hanna Bisiw-Kotei also shed light on the frustration expressed by traditional leaders and local authorities, who often feel powerless in the face of illegal mining operations. She called for greater national attention and a more empathetic response to the suffering of these communities, stressing on the need for firsthand understanding of the crisis.

“They’re talking about how they’ve approached authorities and nothing happens. The chiefs also throwing their hands in dispare because anytime they try, it’s either they’re insulted as a pushback, so they really don’t know what to do. I wish people could actually go there you know you need to see it need to feel it and you need to see the danger.

Source: Elvisanokyenews.net