Residents and traditional leaders of Amomaso and Benkasa in the Berekum West District of the Bono Region have strongly opposed any attempt to introduce mining activities in their communities, warning that they will not allow their farmlands to be taken over.
The communities say they have been alerted to plans by a mining company to begin operations on Monday, June 1, 2026, a development they insist they were not properly consulted on. Some residents also claim the company has already mounted billboards and begun preliminary activities, despite uncertainty over licensing and concessions.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Berekum, opinion leader Mathew Oluman said the people would resist any deployment of excavators or mining equipment, stressing that their land is too limited and valuable to be sacrificed for mining.
“Our lands are too small to accommodate any form of mining,” he said, adding that agriculture remains the backbone of livelihoods in the area.
The Chief of Benkasa, Nana Konadu Mmuro II, reinforced the position, describing the communities as largely agrarian and dependent on farming for survival. He insisted that no mining activity would be tolerated on their arable lands and called on authorities to intervene.
Community leaders also raised concern over what they describe as the weakening of local anti-illegal mining enforcement, alleging that suspects arrested by community watchdogs are often released, undermining efforts to protect their environment and farmlands.
