Twifo Atti-Morkwa Paramount Chief, Elders Dragged To Court Over Galamsey Involvement

• A mining company has dragged the Twifo Atti-Morkwa paramount chief to court over alleged involvement in illegal mining activities
• The mining company claimed the chief and a number of his assigns took over their mining concession and began illegal operations
• The company also alleged that the misconduct of the Twifo Atti-Morkwa chief and his elders has caused it significant financial losses

The Paramount Chief of Twifo Atti-Morkwa in the Central Region, his linguist, and two others are facing prosecution for their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities.

Oseadeayo Kwasi Kenin IV and his court officials were accused by officials of Kadesh Mining Enterprise of encroaching on a licensed mining concession and taking over operations.

Kadesh alleged that the activities of the chief and his officials had destroyed 85 per cent of their 14.73-acre concession at Twifo Atti-Morkwa.

Read also

NAPO promises to rename UPSA after school's founder if NPP wins 2024 elections

Particulars of the Kadesh Mining suit

Kadesh Mining Enterprise told the Kumasi High Court that it was granted a five-year small-scale mining license on June 11, 2024, in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa area.

However, before the company could begin operations on its concession, its site was taken over by the Omanhene of Twifo Atti-Morkwa Oseadeayo Kwasi Kenin IV, Okyeame Yaw Asamoah, Ernest Ahorlu and their foreign partners led by a Chinese national, Wu Ming Ji.

According to court documents, the Paramount Chief admitted to the illegal activities electronically.

Kadesh further alleged that the chief and his elders' activities have caused significant financial losses.

Thus, they are seeking GH¢15 million in gold mined by the defendants and an additional GH¢20 million in general damages.

Omanhene challenges prosecution

Read also

"We can all speak our minds": Owusu-Bempah blames Akufo-Addo for galamsey devastation

While the Omanhene of Twifo Atti-Morkwa, Oseadeayo Kwasi Kenin IV, was absent at the Kumasi High Court when the case was called, he filed a motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

The Omanhene argued that the case should have been heard in Cape Coast as all defendants reside in Twifo Praso in the Central Region, and the alleged crime also happened there.

The paramount chief requested the court refer the matter to the Chief Justice for consideration.

Meanwhile, Okyeame Yaw Asamoah and Ernest Ahorlu appeared in court for the case.

In the meantime, the Kumasi High Court judge, Samuel Faraday Johnson, has ordered the chief and his elders to stay away from the disputed concession until a case of interlocutory injunction filed by Kadesh is determined.

The case was adjourned to October 14, 2024.

Ken Agyapong says chiefs complicit in galamsey

YEN.com.gh also reported that the Assin Central MP said politicians alone could not be blamed for the galamsey crisis.

Read also

NDC justifies 8th position on the ballot sheet: "We'll break their eight"

Kennedy Agyapong explained that chiefs who are custodians of the land are also just as guilty as politicians they accuse.

He stated that some chiefs granted access to the illegal miners to mine in their forests and rivers and were paid out.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh