The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Atiwa West, Mr. Johnson Amo Anom, in collaboration with the Police Service, traditional authorities, and the anti-galamsey taskforce, has launched a vigorous reclamation campaign to restore abandoned mining sites and combat the environmental and safety threats posed by illegal mining in the district.

Speaking to Accra FM/CTV News reporter Apelete Kofi-Michel, Mr. Amo Anom said the initiative, dubbed “The Polluting Pace Policy”, forms part of a broader strategy to rehabilitate degraded lands, reduce health risks, and improve the local environment.

According to the DCE, abandoned mining pits—both legal and illegal—pose serious hazards, including waterlogged craters that have become death traps for children and breeding grounds for waterborne diseases.

He lamented a recent tragedy in which a young boy drowned in an abandoned pit at Akrofufu, highlighting the urgent need for decisive action.

“These pits accumulate stagnant water and leach chemicals like mercury and cyanide into the soil and water bodies.

The long-term effects on human health are dire,” Mr. Amo Anom stressed.

The District Assembly, working alongside engineers, security agencies, and local chiefs, has begun a systematic mapping of abandoned pits across communities such as Abomosu and Akrofufu, with the aim of backfilling them with soil and planting 10,000 trees as part of the land restoration.

At the Abomosu Science, Technology and Mathematics School (STEM) campus, efforts are underway to reclaim affected lands and stabilise the environment to promote biodiversity and prevent further degradation.

Mr. Amo Anom emphasised the importance of community involvement, noting that the initiative not only protects lives but also creates opportunities for agriculture and tree-planting jobs that will benefit residents in the long run.

The DCE issued a stern warning to both legal and illegal mining operators: “We will not leave any stone unturned.

Every abandoned pit must be reclaimed. This is not negotiable.”

He criticised regulatory agencies such as the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for lax enforcement of reclamation laws, insisting that the Assembly, with support from community leaders and security forces, will monitor all sites to ensure full compliance with environmental regulations.

“By law, miners are required to refill their excavation sites before moving to new ones.

We will ensure that this is enforced across Atiwa West,” he said.

Mr. Amo Anom noted that the Atiwa West reclamation initiative is part of a larger movement across the Eastern Region aimed at reversing the environmental destruction caused by mining. Under the Polluting Pace Policy, the district is committed to reducing contaminated water bodies, restoring soil fertility, and improving the quality of life for residents.

“This is about safeguarding our people, our environment, and our future,” the DCE concluded.