Wassa Dompim Traditional Council Disowns Fake Chief
The Dompim Pepesa Divisional Council in the Western Region has exposed a self-styled chief over attempt to associate the name of the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, with illegal mining, otherwise called galamsey.
The traditional authority said Nathaniel Dekyi, who is not the chief of Dompim Pepesa, is rather the chief architect behind illegal mining in the area, but has turned around to accuse others.
“The Council wishes to state on record that the said Nathaniel Dekyi is the chief architect of illegal mining in Dompim Pepesa by selling over 40 acres of his own family’s cocoa farm to illegal miners at Trabuom/Asoampa,” the chiefs stated.
The revelation by the traditional authority follows an allegation by the self-acclaimed chief, on Accra-based Joy FM yesterday, October 10, indicating that the Municipal Chief Executive of the area, together with the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem and the Western Regional Minister are behind ‘galamsey’ activities in the area.
But the Divisional Council, in a statement, said, “Nathaniel Dekyi with his accomplices on video were caught discussing strategies as to how these illegal miners should operate in Dompim Pepesa. It is also part of his strategy to demoralize and thwart the effort of Hon. Mireku Duker, who has dedicated all his time and energy to fight the galamsey menace.”
They indicated that the desperate attempt by the self-styled chief to drag the name of the MP, who is also the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, into galamsey, was borne out of hatred because of a protracted chieftaincy dispute in the town.
“Nathaniel Dekyi has written several letters to areas with the aim of halting projects lobbied by Hon. George Mireku Duker to the good people of Dompim Pepesa just because of a Chieftaincy dispute in Dompim Pepesa which he thinks the MP who doubles as a royal and a former Chief of Dompim did not support him,” they noted.
The traditional rulers further said, “Nathaniel Dekyi on record led NDC Campaign in 2020 election against Hon George Mireku Duker claiming that the MP didn’t support him in his bid to become the Chief of the area.”
The statement, signed by the secretary of the Dompim Pepesa Divisional Council, Nana Nyarkefole III, and sighted by The Anchor, added that Nathaniel Dekyi is not the chief of Dompim Pepesa and therefore it urged the media to contact the right people to get accurate information.
“The Council wants to state unequivocally that Nathaniel Dekyi is not the Chief of Dompim Pepesa.
“Nananom as well as our Chief Ohyeawora Bian Nyonwa Panyin IV commend the media in assisting to clamp down on illegal mining activities in Ghana. However, we will entreat the media to contact the right people to get accurate information in order to be able to fight this canker,” the Council added.
MCE Rubbishes
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa-Nsuaem Assembly, Benjamin Kesse, has debunked any claim that he is deeply involved in illegal mining in Tarkwa.
Responding to the allegation on the Midday News on Joy FM, yesterday, the MCE said the accusations are not true and smack of malice.
According to him, the fake chief, Nathaniel Dekyi, has for three years been orchestrating lies against him just to get the President to take him out of office because he (Kesse) does not support his chieftaincy.
“It is not true. Whatever he said is a lie, total lie…There is an issue here in Dompim and it is purely chieftaincy and he knows that we do not support his bid so he started this long ago about three years ago and he has been running around.
“Today, he knows that the President is very much particular about the fight against ‘galamsey’ so he feels that he is taking the opportunity to make this wild allegation so that he will get a hearing for what he is saying so that the President will call somebody and disappoint the person. I have documentation to the effect that he wrote to the President not to appoint me. He has done everything,” he told Emefa Apawu on the Midday News.
The MCE noted that he, together with the other accused authorities, will resort to legal action against the chief for falsely accusing them.
“We are going to use the court process to clear our names so when we get there he will bring the proof to court…whatever he said, at least so long as Joy FM is concerned, it is on record and we are going to contest it seriously,” he added.
Mr. Kesse also denied ownership of any mining firm, stressing that he has “never engaged himself in anything ‘galamsey’.”
Contrary to these allegations, the MCE explained that his ‘galamsey’ taskforce has recently taken action against illegal mining in the area.
“In fact, we have had a series of engagements as we speak. People are in court, we have burnt excavators, we have burnt chanfang machines, we have arrested people, the security guys are on the ground working and we are going to go there today,” he stressed.
Source: Anchorghana
