Asafo Groups with support from the Abutia traditional authorities in the Ho-West District of the Volta Region have warned the Minerals Commission of Ghana and the government to immediately halt all attempts to allow mining of lithium in parts of the Kalakpa Forest and Game Reserve.
The irate Asafo groups and their chiefs noted that they sighted a publication on the 29th February, 2024 that a Kumasi-based Mining firm, X10 Resources has gotten clearance from the Minerals Commission to mine lithium in the Kalakpa Game Reserve hence their anger.
The Paramount Chief of Abutia Traditional Area, Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi at a press briefing held at Abutia-Agove stressed that such move by the Minerals Commission is illegal and that he and his subjects would resist all attempts by the powers that be to engage in such illegal action.
The Kalakpa Forest and Game Reserve is one of the largest natural reserves in the country. It covers an area of over 32,022 hectares of land. The reserve is home to many animal species and several variety of trees including rosewood but continues poaching and illegal felling of trees has degraded portion of the reserve, particularly the North-Tongu part of the reserve as they share boundary with Abutia Traditional Area. Residents of Abutia have stood firmly against illegal activities in the forest reserve.
The Kalakpa Game Reserve has been conserved over the years for tourism and hospitality purposes and not for mining and anything illegal would be resisted.
The press briefing was used to among other things, accuse the Minerals Commission of Ghana and the Kumasi-based mining firm X10 Resources and other stakeholders of consulting some illegal land owners and some traditional authorities in the North-Tongu District claiming the demarcated areas for mining falls under North-Tongu enclave.
The Abutia chiefs and people challenged that “ no part of the reserve belongs to the Tongu people, the reserve shares boundary with them but no portion of the reserve belongs to any individual or family from North-Tongu area. Even people of Agortive, Avetakpo and Amesianyakofe among other communities are Tongu settlers in the reserve which is not contestable. These areas the mining firm is said to explore was offered to the settlers by our forefathers was for farming purposes.”
Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi clad in red cloth, stressed that he and his people would not allow any form of mining to take place as their considering legal action against such decision and if that fails they would adopt other strategies to prevent mining activities in the reserve.
An Opinion leader and elder of the community, Nelson Adom explained that residents of the farming communities within the reserve are not indigenes of Abutia but settlers from the Tongu areas.
Mr. Adom said the forest is reserved for tourism and hospitality purposes but illegal activities are on-going and they would resist attempts to engage in mining activities in the reserve.
Ephraim Adom, the leader of Abutia citizens abroad, also spoke with 3news on the alleged release of parts of land in the Kalakpa Forest and Game Reserve for mining of lithium.
“All the reserve lands are traditionally owned by Abutia citizens. It’s a known demarcated land, everything in relation to the Reserve has been documented. Kalakpa Game Reserve was given out for conservation by the chiefs of Abutia but not for mining activities,” he said.
By Robert Abilba