Residents of Oseneso, a community in the Wassa East District of the Western Region, have destooled their chief, Nana Yaw Gyesi, following accusations that he was involved in illegal mining (galamsey) activities.
Community members claimed the chief had for more than a year, meddled in the illegal activity. According to them, Nana Gyesi appealed for forgiveness when his subjects confronted him last year, assuring them that he would abandon the practice.
Instead of reforming, residents alleged that Nana Gyesi had rather expanded his mining operations and brought additional excavators into the area.
Speaking to the media, Mr Kwabena Twum Barima, a community elder and son of the Oseneso queen mother, expressed concern over the negative impact of illegal mining in the area.
He stated that the activities had contributed to an increase in teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, and severe pollution of the community’s only river which was a vital water source serving more than 10,000 people across 20 communities in both the Wassa East in the Western region and Twifo-Atti-Morkwa districts in the Central region.
According to Mr Twum Barima, the worsening conditions compelled the community to unanimously dethrone the chief.
Several residents welcomed the decision, saying it marked a significant step towards restoring peace and safeguarding their environment.
When approached for comment by the GNA, the destooled chief, said he would address the allegations at the appropriate time.
