Cocoa farmer laments takeover of farms by mining companies

Stephen Arthur, a 64-year-old cocoa farmer in Beedii in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region, is alarmed by an attempted takeover of cocoa farms in the area by an unidentified mining company.

The farmer who is also the Odikro (caretaker) of the area says the mining company has earmarked their farmlands which lie between their main source of water for destruction, and this has become a source of worry.

On the special component of Happy98.9FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show, ‘Ghana’s Cocoa Sector, "The inside story" he disclosed, “I went to my farm one morning only to find my land pegged and marked with tape. I was surprised because no one consulted me on that action and sadly we don’t know those responsible for that. We have only heard that it is a mining company which wants to mine our lands.”

According to him, he is not ready to let go of his land or look on for any of the inhabitants of Beedii to give up their lands to these miners.

The worried Odikro without mincing words stated, “I won’t give up my land and I will also make sure no inhabitant of Beedii does so either. In between the cocoa lands they’ve earmarked for destruction are two streams the entire community uses for domestic purposes. If we agree for them to mine on our lands, our only source of potable water will be polluted and we will suffer. The community is united on this front and has vowed not to let these miners have their way.”

Stephen Arthur says his 11-acre cocoa farm has been the means of survival for his family of 22 and is not ready to take any compensation no matter the amount involved, and give way to miners to not only destroy the land but contaminate the only source of potable water for his people.