BONO REGIONAL MINISTER WARNS CHIEFS AGAINST SUPPORTING ILLEGAL MINING DURING WENCHI ACCOUNTABILITY DURBAR

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The Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Addae Akwaboa, has issued a strong warning to traditional leaders against supporting, facilitating or participating in illegal mining activities within their communities.

He stressed that the fight against illegal mining and the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies could only succeed with the active involvement of traditional authorities and residents. He therefore appealed to chiefs, queens and community members to collaborate with the government’s Blue Water Guards in protecting the region’s natural resources.

The Regional Minister made the call during his “Accountability to the People” tour of the Wenchi Municipality, where he engaged traditional leaders and residents at a community durbar on 31st July 2026.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Akwaboa cautioned that traditional leaders found to be aiding or abetting illegal mining would face prosecution, regardless of their status or position within the community.

He noted that the Blue Water Guards had commenced full-scale operations in the Bono Region as part of efforts to curb illegal mining and logging and protect the country’s water and forest resources.

Residents were consequently encouraged to provide information on suspected illegal mining activities to the appropriate security authorities to support enforcement efforts.

The Minister’s working visit also provided an opportunity to assess the progress of several development projects across the municipality. These included a new clinic under construction at Buoko, a six-unit classroom block at Mensahkrom, a water supply project at Mallam/Ayigbe and a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound at Asampu.

He further inspected construction works on six-unit classroom blocks at Aboabo and Kaamu/Gensoso, as well as ongoing projects involving the Wenchi 24-hour market and the €30 million Wenchi Water System Project.

The inspection formed part of the Regional Minister’s broader accountability and development-monitoring agenda, aimed at assessing the implementation of projects and identifying challenges affecting their timely completion.

During the visit, Hon. Akwaboa, accompanied by the Wenchi Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Gloria Gyamfi, and the Member of Parliament for the Wenchi Constituency, Hon. Alhaji Seidu Haruna, also paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of the Wenchi Traditional Area, Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoampong Tabrako III.

The engagement with the traditional authority further underscored the importance of collaboration between government, traditional leaders and local communities in advancing development and protecting the environmental resources of the Wenchi Municipality and the wider Bono Region.