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Konongo residents demand action against illegal mining affecting water bodies
A crisis is unfolding in Konongo, in the Ashanti region, where active mining operations have taken over the town, threatening to destroy a major water source and sparking outrage among residents.
The mining activities, located on the main Kumasi-Accra highway, are polluting the Owere River, which supplies water to communities in Konongo and surrounding areas.
Excavators and mining equipment are actively being used, mere meters away from homes, churches, and businesses.
The Head Pastor of the New Life Church of Light expressed anger and concern over the development, highlighting the devastating impact on the community.
Environmental Protection Agency and Minerals Commission officials claim they were only informed about a dredging exercise by the Asante Akim Central Assembly, but were unaware of the mining activities.
Residents are frustrated, citing the continuous destruction of water bodies and farmlands due to illegal mining.
The area has been blocked to conceal the extent of the destruction from highway travellers.
A portion of the highway, near the mining site, is caving in and has yet to be repaired despite years of appeals.
The situation has raised serious concerns about the government’s ability to regulate mining activities and protect the environment.
Residents who spoke to Citi News are demanding immediate action to halt the mining and restore their water source.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
