Features
The fight against illegal mining… ‘Untouchables’ are the problem
His name is Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka Chairman Wontumi, he is the current Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), a farmer, owner of Wontumi Radio and Television stations and Akonta Mining Limited, a small-scale mining company in the Ashanti Region. As the meaning of his akan nickname connotes in the English Language, “You can’t Fit me”, Chairman Wontumi, is a strong and powerful personality within the NPP circles who does not fear any persons, including people in the corridors of power whatsoever. He claims to be one of the millionaires in Ghana in recent times, and at one time, expressed interest to buy the famous Chelsea Football Club in London, United Kingdom.
When you talk about prominent personalities involved in small-scale mining popularly known as galamsey in this country, Ghana, you cannot leave out this ‘powerful’ man who is into serious small-scale mining business in parts of the Ashanti and Western regions.
AKONTA MINING LIMITED
Records show that, his company on 20th August 2022 applied for a Mining Lease to undertake mining in some parts of Samreboi in the Western Region, outside the Forest Reserve, but the company has extended its operations to the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Western Region. By a Ministerial Directive, all reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploratory activities in Forest Reserves in the country are suspended, except in exceptional circumstances. Although this directive does not affect mining in Forest Reserves, further records indicate that Akonta Mining Limited’s application has not been determined, hence any alleged activity being undertaken by the company in the Forest Reserve is considered illegal.
GUN SHOTS AT FOREST RESERVE
In recent times, there were reports circulating on social media and other traditional news outlet about exchange of gunshots between personnel of Akonta Mining Limited and some youth of Samreboi, leading to two persons sustaining gunshot wounds. Per the cause of that incident, a section of the youth reportedly prevented personnel of the company from taking more mining equipment into the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.
The company, it was reported, was said to have been mining in the reserve despite a declaration by government (Minerals Commission) that it had not granted any entry permit into the forest reserve. According to reports, two of the vehicles transporting mining equipment were also burnt by the youth while some vehicles belonging to a timber firm, Samartex, had their windscreens smashed.
WONTUMI’S EXPLANATION
The owner and regional chairman of the NPP, Antwi Boasiako, has denied using the site for illegal mining. According to him his outfit has a genuine documents and licence from the Minerals Commission which would expire in the year 2030, claiming that his company was rather reclaiming the site which was overtaken by some illegal miners after digging pits on the site.
When you weigh the Land and Natural Resources Minister’s (Samuel Abdulai Jinapor) statement in which he made it clear that the company was operating illegally in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve against Chairman Wontumi’s defence, then you can simply ask yourself, who is telling the truth? And what is the Forestry Commission saying? That, the Akonta Mining Limited, indeed, has a pending application dated August 25, 2022, for a Mining Lease over an area within the Tano Nimiri Reserve? Does that grant the company permission to enter into the reserve to mine?
FREEING GALAMSEY FIGHT OF POLITICS
This fight against this illegal small-scale mining in this country, can only make the necessary progress and meaningful impact, if we shed party colours and dealt ruthlessly with people involved in the activity no matter their status in the ruling party and the party in power. If we try to impute politics into steps being taken to stop this menace, we will get nowhere in our determination to stop the practice. It is because we, ourselves, are not ready to deal with the problem, that is the more reason foreigners, especially Chinese, have taken an advantage of the system to engage massively in this illegal galamsey business and subsequently, destroying our environment and the ecosystem.
Some of our traditional leaders as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in areas where these illegal operations are taking place in their forest reserves, have sold their conscience for peanuts to the people including foreigners in the trade, forgetting that they are rather helping them to destroy their water bodies and the ecosystem.
LEVEL OF POLLUTION OF WATER BODIES
It is sickening when you look at the massive destructions that had taken place in most of these areas where these small scale illegal mining are taking place. Party officials and other irresponsible personalities in the corridors of power who are deeply involved in these shameful business must bow their heads in shame.
Are we really happy with the level of contamination and pollution of our water bodies and rivers as well as the forest cover by these galamseyers, spearheaded mostly by Chinese nationals and other high profile Ghanaians? Can we imagine the colour of water from our various water bodies? Are we happy to see our cocoa farms under siege? We need to be ashamed of ourselves for encouraging pollution and contamination of our water sources as well as the massive destruction of our forests.
ASANTEHENE SPEAKS OUT
No wonder, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, recently, questioned the relevance of our District and Municipal Security Councils over their failure to fight the illegal mining menace in the country. He was surprised that after years that the government launched the fight against this galamsey business, little had been achieved describing the situation as very poor. Hear him, “At the district level, we have the political administration, District Chief Executives and District Security Councils. Are they all saying that they are unaware of the activities of these galamsayers? If they are unable to detect and stop the operation of these galamsayers, then they are unworthy to be there; it is as simple as that”.
“We should have brought finality to this issue by now. The President, had even put his presidency on the line, yet this is going on. To me, something is wrong somewhere,” he told the US Ambassador, Stephanie Sullivan, when she called on him recently at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
FIGHT AGAINST GALAMSEY
It is sad that we should continue to talk about some of these negative issues again when we have flogged them over and over. While we continue to preserve the little human and material resources at our disposal due to our present economic difficulties and challenges, we have in recent past invested heavily in the formation of various ministerial taskforces to combat this small scale illegal mining in parts of the country. It is, indeed, sad and regretful that despite all these huge financial investments, the problem continues unabated and even in its worse form.
I have had the privilege to visit China for at least four times, during which I toured most of the provinces including the famous and popular Shanghai, and I can confidently say that they are taking good and proper care of their country and obeying their laws as well as the rules and regulations well. China started from the scratch like us and that country has gone far and can be referred to as a developed nation. Why are we doing disservice to ourselves by allowing Chinese nationals to enter into our country, plunder and destroy our natural resources, while they protect and conserve theirs? We have given them all the courtesies to live in our country yet they don’t respect our laws but rather treat us with contempt and disdain.
OUR LEADERS LACK THE WILL POWER
It is, indeed, surprising that our leaders often travel to some of these developed countries and are fully aware of the socio-economic development in those countries and upon returning home, they close their eyes to these developments they saw, and allow our country to go down the drain. Yes, we depend on some of these countries for loans and grants to revamp and reshape our economy, but we cannot continue to be stooges to them by allowing their nationals to misbehave when they enter into our territory.
As the Asantehene rightly put it: If those leaders appointed at the local level; Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, are unable to stand up against these illegal mining in their jurisdictions, then they have no business to be there at all. Let us keep politics out of this fight against galamsey and deal resolutely with offenders of the law irrespective of party affiliations. We want to see more action from our President, the number one gentleman of the land in this fight against the galamsey menace.
Contact email/WhatsApp of author:
ataani2000@yahoo.com 0277753946/0248933366
By Charles Neequaye
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
