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Residents of Konongo in the Asante Akim North Municipality have raised concerns over the alleged complicity of the Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Ibrahim Boyong in illegal mining on Oweri River.

They claim illegal mining has intensified in Owerii River between Odumase Mines gate and the main road linking Agogo and Konongo in the name of dredging the drain to avoid flooding in the area. The residents claim the supposed dredging by the cronies of the MCE has turned the project into galamsey.

The traditional council and residents are said to have petitioned the Assembly to help save a situation of flooding any time it rains, prompting a construction firm, Messrs Connect, to tender for the job through the Ministry, following which the MCE is said to have taken advantage of the situation and awarded the contract for the dredging of the local river to his pals, including Messrs Two Brothers, Borga Berko Mining Enterprise, Dabala Enterprise and Nkunimdea Foundation, who have resorted to illegal mining in the river, instead of dredging and fixing the culverts to allow easy flow of water during the rains.

They accuse the Assembly of receiving 30% of the booty by the illegal miners. The involvement of the MCE is premised on the fact that he considered his cronies instead of Messrs Connect, recommended by the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing, for the job to be supervised by the Assembly.

However, the MCE allegedly decided to engage cronies who have turned the project into a massive illegal mining all over the area around the banks of the River Oweri posing threats to lives.
Last week Tuesday the residents found the body of 22-year-old Peter Agyeso in one of the galamsey pits after a heavy down pour at the same place, which case is being investigated by the Konongo District Police Command.
Meanwhile, the MCE has described the allegations as false, but confirmed that Messrs Connect was the only company recommended by the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing to dredge the river and construct a covert to arrest flooding in the area.
He said the recommendation by the Ministry of Works to award the contact to Messrs Connect did not mean that the Assembly should automatically give the whole project to the firm.
He explained that the Assembly had the right to take appropriate decisions. He stated that all the stakeholders including Environmental Health, Traditional council, Water resources, Hydrological services, Oweri mines company, NADMO, Minerals commission, Fire Service, Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the Assembly were involved in approving the contract to the firms, and said they all endorsed the project before it was given out.

The MCE also explained that the contractors were dredging to win gold to cut down cost involved in the dredging to pay for the workers and the machines. Alhaji Ibrahim Boyong in answer to a question also said illegal mining activities would stop after the dredging project is completed.
The MCE also denied that the dead body of Peter Agyeso was found in a pit where his supposed friends were operating against the report by Mr. Isaac Andoh, the NADMO Coordinator, that the body was found in the old mining pit site. Meanwhile, the Konongo District Police Commander, Supt. Ibrahim Sule has confirmed the incident leading to the death of Peter Agyeso.