The Assemblyman for Hia Electoral Area, a farming community in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region Anthony Kwakye Aborah has been banished by chiefs of the area for fighting Chinese miners in the community over compensation.
Illegal Miners are still operating in Hia and other communities in the Amansie Central District despite the ban on illegal mining known as galamsey by President Akufo-Addo’s government.
The Assembly Member for Hia Electoral Area Anthony Kwakye Aborah narrating the issue in an interview with Pure Fm’s Osei Kwadwo said Chinese and local miners over the years have failed to compensate farmers in the community after destroying their farmlands.
According to him, “As an assembly man, I have received several complaints from my people especially farmers about how the activities of the illegal miners is affecting their farming. It is my responsibility to fight for my people”.
“One Chinese miner destroyed acres of oil palm plantation which belongs to a certain woman and they gave her GHS1000. Even that GHS1000 was paid to the farmer after several negotiations with the Chinese miner. The woman (farmer) rejected the money because the farm they destroyed is worth more than GHS1000” he explained.
“After all my efforts to protect farms and demand compensation for the farmers, I have become an enemy to the miners both Foreigners and the local miners”
He accused Hia traditional leaders for supporting illegal miners in the community against residents despite the latter being the hardest hit as a result of the illegal activities of the miners.
“The linguist Kwaku Nkrumah and one man came to my house and summoned me before the community leaders. When I went there they told me I have been banished for being a disobedient assembly member so I should leave the community” he explained.
“I’m still in the community because I’m waiting for the community leaders to perform the necessary rituals before I will leave. Since they are yet to perform the rituals, I will still be in the community”.
Meanwhile, Hia Linguist Kwaku Nkrumah has failed to respond to the allegations raised by the assembly member when reached except to say the banishment is a decision by the traditional authorties.
