Residents of Kotokuo a farming community in the Atwima Mponua district of Ashanti region have bemoaned the spate at which illegal miners are taking undue advantage of their operations in the area and snatching the their wives.

Because the miners generate a lot of money, residents allege they use the cash to lure their women resulting in the collapse of marriages in the community in view of the fact that most of them have now been exposed to money.

“We can no longer control our wives because they have seen money. The miners spoil them with money and because we are unable to match them financially they are now divorcing us and marrying the illegal miners,’ a worried residence revealed.

An opinion leader, Charles Addei alleged that the Galamsey operators are always spotted at popular pubs in the night with the ladies who have now become overly extravagant.

‘Because they have money and the people in this community don’t have money as compared to them, you know women are so weak, the moment you lure them, its easy for them to fall in love with you, so they have been snatching people’s wives day in and day out,’ he claimed.

He described Galamsey operators in the community as ‘wife snatchers’ warning that residents will soon embark on an exercise to chase them out.