A picture of the scene as shared by Starr FM
A group of journalists were manhandled by some illegal miners at Breman- Adomanya forest in the Amenfi west district of the western region on Friday, February 22, 2025.
They include Nana Fynn of ABN, Citi News reporter Akwasi Agyei Annim, and Rok FM reporter Jacob Baah, who were on a diligent quest to expose the galamsey menace and were assaulted with their production equipment being damaged in the full glare of their police escort.
Some Chinese and their Ghanaian accomplice illegal miners or galamsey operators have taken over a 261-acre land in the Breman-Adomanya forest area of the Wassa Amenfi West District in the Western Region, devastating timber, cocoa, and rubber plantation as well as polluting the nearby River Tano.
Despite such activities taking place under the full glare of police personnel in and around the Asankragwa area, there seems to be no concerted effort to stop them thereby pushing the media to bring out such activities in the open.
This intent of the media was however greatly endangered despite having a 4 man police protection as one Yaw Kurankyi, who is believed to have sold the land out physically manhandled the journalists insisting that they end the taking of pictures requesting they delete what they have already taken resulting in an altercation with the journalists being detained by the galamseyers until 7 PM, demanding that all recordings be deleted before their release.
Police reinforcements were eventually dispatched, allowing the journalists to leave the area, but only after they agreed to delete their footage at the Asankragwa District Police Station. Upon arrival at the station, Yaw Kurankyi was arrested, and statements were taken from the journalists.
Meanwhile, Isaac Kwasi Bekyere, an affected farmer, expressed frustration over the lack of intervention by traditional authorities and local police.
“What is happening on Adomanya lands currently is not good at all. Illegal mining operators have destroyed a vast area of 261 acres of land, including cocoa, trees, food crops, and rivers. Some of us have complained and reported over and over to authorities to no avail.
Traditional authorities and other officials have failed to listen to us. The galamseyers chase us away with guns and cutlasses whenever we come here. We plead with operators, including Dabeina and Abegyin companies, to stop the destruction,” he stated.
He further called on the government to take urgent action to halt the illegal activities and restore the land to its rightful state.