Some residents of Effutu in the Central region have taken to the streets to show their displeasure over allegations of the possible sale of the Ramsar site in Winneba to some investors for mining. The concerned residents clad in red apparel say the site being given to the investor is the same site they use in hunting deer for the annual Aboakyire festival.
They added that selling the land will likely put the Aboakyire festival in limbo. The demonstration comes months after the discovery of lithium in large quantities in Effutu and other parts of the Central Region was put before Parliament. The residents warned that they would halt the operations of the mining company saying the exploration would destroy the reserve which has been there for several years.
One of the protesters who identified himself as Solomon in an interview with Citi News said; “We heard that the land that we use to celebrate our festival is being sold but that land is where we used for our festival and that is where our fetish priest is as well.”
He added “We have heard that they have discovered some diamonds and gold on that land. If they touch that land it means that they will destroy our properties, so we the youth in Winneba have decided that we won’t allow them to touch that land.”
Another protester added that the chemicals to be used for the mining “will affect the sea and destroy our fish…If the land was being like we won’t come and meet it. “
By: Calvis Tetteh
