The Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi, Tetrete Akuamoah Sekyim II, has expressed worry over uncovered illegal small-scale mining pits scattered in the area which have become traps for people who fall into them unnoticed and die.

He has therefore appealed to the government and the regulatory authorities to enforce closure of those pits in order to save precious lives.

The paramount chief condemned the practice of illegal mining in the area due to environmental degradation and appealed to the government to provide alternative employment for the people since most people entered the business in order to earn a living..

Tetrete Sekyim made the remarks during this year’s Edim Kese celebration at Wassa Akropong in the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region.

Edim Kese is celebrated by the people of Wassa Amenfi on the third Friday of the 11th every year, to remember their ancestors who fought various battles in the past to maintain peace and stability in the area.

Libation is also poured to the gods during the celebration amidst music and dance while various sub chiefs, divisional chiefs and companies operating on the land pay homage to the paramount chief.

In addition, companies operating in the area are barred from working for one week, to enable the gods to rest and replenish the land.

Tetrete Sekyim noted that the level of education in the area had fallen and charged teachers, parents, stakeholders and all children of school-going age, to put their resources and efforts together to reverse the negative trend.

He said education has become very crucial in this period of globalisation therefore every child of school-going age must be enrolled so that they would take the mantle of leadership in the future.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Wassa Amenfi East, Mr Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, who led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on Tetrete Sekyim, said he has instituted a scholarship scheme with a seed capital of GH¢ 50,000, to support brilliant but needy students in the area.

He added that he has used his influence to secure 34 classroom blocks through the Ghana Education Trust Fund to the area while the district has also benefited from the World Bank and European Union educational complex project.

Touching on other infrastructure projects allocated to the area, the MP said five communities have benefited from rural-urban water system project, 42 community-based health planning services compounds, six health clinics, while Ayanfuri/Bogoso road, which was in a deplorable state is under construction.

Mr Oppong-Fosu added that 30 mechanised boreholes have been dug for some communities, to resolve the water shortage experienced in the area while 25 others would be provided soon.

He said more communities have been connected to the national grid electricity grid, which had enhanced the socio-economic lives of the people while 10.4-kilometre town roads have been earmarked for asphalting at a cost of GH¢ 21.4 million.

He pledged to work in tandem with the chiefs and other development partners to propel the development of the area forward.