Illegal mining is threatening communities in the Ahafo Ano South East District, with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser, Raphael Sarfo Patrick, appealing to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene urgently to halt the worsening environmental destruction.

Sarfo Patrick says the devastation caused by galamsey has left residents facing serious threats to their water sources and livelihoods, particularly cocoa farming in the district.

Speaking after visiting several illegal mining sites in the district on Tuesday (14 July), Sarfo Patrick said the extent of the devastation suggested that efforts to combat illegal mining in the Ashanti Region had been inadequate.

“I am currently at Adugyama, the capital of Ahafo Ano South East, and it is an eyesore. The level of devastation is evident that enough has not been done to tackle illegal mining in the Ashanti Region,” he said.

He alleged that residents had accused both the District Chief Executive and the area’s Member of Parliament of involvement in illegal mining activities, describing the allegations as troubling. He did not provide evidence to support the claims.

“The allegations are that the DCE and the MP are involved, and this is worrying,” he said.

Sarfo Patrick said illegal mining had polluted water sources relied on by local communities and destroyed cocoa farms, threatening livelihoods in one of Ghana’s major cocoa-producing areas.

“The community is reeling from this devastation as their source of drinking water is under siege. Cocoa farms have already been cut off and it tells you how active illegal mining has exposed the cocoa sector,” he said.

He appealed directly to President Mahama to intervene before the environmental damage became irreversible.

“I am using this medium to appeal to President Mahama to intervene, as the people of Ahafo Ano South East are sitting on a ticking time bomb. It is just going to get worse,” he said.

Illegal mining, commonly known in Ghana as galamsey, remains one of the country’s most pressing environmental challenges, with successive governments facing criticism over the destruction of forests, farmlands and water bodies despite repeated enforcement operations.

The District Chief Executive and the Member of Parliament for Ahafo Ano South East had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.