Cocoa Farmers Lament Destruction of Farms by Illegal Miners in Upper Denkyira West
Cocoa farmers at Akwabuoso in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region are raising alarm over the destruction of more than seven acres of farmland by illegal miners.
The farmers say the activities of the miners have severely affected their livelihoods, with cocoa farms and other crops destroyed without warning.
Speaking on behalf of the affected farmers, Darlington Nana Boateng expressed frustration over what he described as the growing impunity of small-scale miners operating in the area.
According to him, the destruction extends beyond cocoa farms to include other crops such as oil palm, leaving many farmers in distress.
“People with excavators go to people’s farms with no care, whether it is cocoa, oil palm, or other crops,” he said.
He described the situation as a major threat to farming in the community, warning that it continues to worsen.
“It has become a problem for cocoa farmers here. A very serious problem,” he added, questioning the level of enforcement against illegal mining activities.
The farmers are calling on authorities to intervene urgently to protect farmlands and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
