Illegal miners are threatening the viability of the government’s Landscape and Scale Mining Restoration project in Juaso, located in the Asante Akyem South Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The project, led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aims to restore degraded land for farming purposes.
However, farmers benefiting from the initiative are sounding the alarm about illegal miners encroaching on their lands.
The farmers, who cultivate various crops, have praised the project’s benefits, including receiving seedlings and farm inputs.
However, they are increasingly concerned about the potential destruction of water sources and the environment if illegal miners are allowed to operate in their communities.
A farmer, Abdul-Karim Abdul-Razak stated, “Recently, some people came in with their equipment, trying to identify where they could find gold and carry out their mining activities. They have also dug holes as part of their quest to locate gold deposits. If the miners succeed in their activities, they will destroy the project and also the only water source in this area.”
In response, the EPA has intensified surveillance and is taking measures to prevent illegal miners from conducting activities in the Juaso community, particularly in project areas.
The project’s success is crucial for the farmers and the environment, and the EPA is working to ensure its viability.
The project’s benefits extend to farmers in the Sekyere Afram Plains and Asante Akyem North Districts, who are also receiving support through other components of the initiative.
The government’s efforts to restore degraded land and promote sustainable farming practices are being undermined by illegal mining activities, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and enforcement.
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