The 7.5-kilometer Asonge–Pelungu untarred road in the Nabdam District in the Upper East Region has come under increasing threat due to illegal mining activities.
Illegal miners have intensified their activities along that route, scooping away its topsoil and mining along its banks on a daily basis, mostly under the cover of darkness.
Residents and motorists say the activities of the illegal miners have rendered sections of the road dangerously slippery, raising fears that the route could soon become a death trap for motorists and pedestrians alike.
Conduct of illegal miners
According to community members, the gravel used for the road was hauled from an area previously subjected to surface mining, and the illegal miners believe gold deposits could still be found on the surface of the road, hence their conduct.
Armed with brooms and, at times, hoes, the miners reportedly sweep the road surface at night, scraping away the topsoil in search of the precious mineral.
To facilitate their night operations, the illegal miners have reportedly disconnected streetlights along the road, particularly opposite the Zanlerigu Junior High School football field, plunging the area into darkness and making it easier to operate unnoticed.
A visit to the road by the Daily Graphic revealed that the destruction was not limited to the road surface alone.
At Tega-poge, a known surface mining area which is about 600 metres away from the Asonge Junction area, and opposite Gane-Tobere, about 400 metres away from the Zanlerigu market towards Pelungu, sections of the road’s embankment have been mined, leaving pits and potholes that further weaken the structure of the route.
The base of electric poles along the roadside has also not been spared, as illegal miners have dug deeply around them, leaving the poles dangerously exposed to heavy winds and rains.
A resident, Mba Yambire, bemoaned that, “The destruction of the road has been ongoing for years but nothing punitive has been done to deter them. I am particularly worried because of the danger it poses to us and the fact that the whole district has no single tarred road except the Bolga-Bawku highway that passes through it.’’
A driver, Moses Ayingurah, said the road was increasingly becoming dangerous, noting that “already, this is a dangerous road because it is rocky with potholes, and being subjected to this kind of destruction by illegal miners is worrisome and will cause more accidents if not stopped.”
Failed Community Interventions
Concerned by the growing menace, the former Assembly Member for the Zanlerigu–Daliga Electoral Area, Maxwell Divom, once led a group of youth to arrest some of the perpetrators.
The suspects were presented before the Community Development Committee, where they were cautioned and subsequently released.
Similar attempts by community leaders have yielded no favourable results.
Apart from counselling the offenders to desist and take responsibility for maintaining the road, no punitive action had been taken to deter the illegal activity.
As a result, the miners have returned to the road night after night, emboldened by the absence of sanctions.
Call for collaboration
The Assembly Member for the Zanlerigu–Daliga Electoral Area, Isaac Wulug, said the galamsey problem existed before his tenure but had persisted despite continuous engagement with stakeholders.
“I have spoken to the youth, the District Police Commander, and patrol teams. We have identified about three to four hotspots, but they keep sneaking in at night,” he said.
Mr Wulug acknowledged that unemployment was a major driver of the illegal activity, as some youth depended on galamsey proceeds to support their families.
He called for stronger collaboration between the media, security agencies, and traditional authorities to protect the road and safeguard the future of the district.
DCE speaks
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Nabdam, Francis Yenwona Tobig, described illegal mining as a serious threat to the district, which was predominantly agrarian.
“Our farmlands are under threat, and more worrying is the encroachment on road infrastructure and government lands,” he said.
He confirmed receiving reports of illegal mining activities along the Zanlerigu–Pelungu road, noting that the road was critical to the development of the district and linked several communities within the district to Pelungu, the biggest market in the district.
Deep in the night
Mr Tobig explained that the miners usually operate deep into the night, making it difficult for security agencies to apprehend them.
“You only see signs of activity in the morning.
You hardly find the people on the ground,” he said.
He, however, disclosed that the District Police Command had adopted a new strategy aimed at arresting the perpetrators.
“The police have assured me that they will put an end to it,” he stated, adding that the assembly was working closely with the security agencies to address the situation.
Cooperative mining plan
The DCE revealed that the assembly was engaging the minerals commission to secure land for cooperative mining as a sustainable alternative.
“This will allow us to engage the youth, monitor their activities, and ensure sustainable mining practices,” he said.
He warned that once designated mining areas were established, anyone found operating outside them would face the full rigours of the law.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
