The abandoned Agenda 111 hospital project at Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region has become a hotspot not only for reptiles but also for illegal mining activities.
For several years, residents of the Adansi Asokwa District have observed widespread illegal mining in the area, with the latest operations taking place directly behind the unfinished hospital project. Large open pits now cover a vast stretch of land immediately adjoining the facility.
A visit by the JoyNews team found miners actively excavating the site, installing pipes linked to a mechanised borehole and pumping water to extract and process gold.
At least three excavators were seen operating at the site, digging into the land in search of gold deposits. Muddy wastewater from the mining activities was also observed flowing toward the hospital premises and nearby homes.
The illegal mining is taking place in close proximity to government institutions, with the site situated about 500 metres from both the district assembly and the district police headquarters.
Assembly Member for the Bawdwesango Electoral Area, Agyekum, condemned the situation. “It is heartbreaking to see illegal mining destroying our arable lands. What worries me most is that the District Police Headquarters is located right beside this galamsey site, yet the destruction continues unabated. It appears as though those responsible for enforcing the law have turned a blind eye to what is happening,” he said.
Construction of the hospital began in 2021 under the Agenda 111 programme, which was designed to improve access to modern healthcare services for residents of Adansi Asokwa and surrounding communities.
Although residents had anticipated the completion and opening of the facility, many are now concerned about the potential environmental impact of the illegal mining activities on the project.
One resident appealed for urgent intervention, saying, “We are pleading with the President and all the relevant authorities to act immediately to stop this menace before it destroys this important national investment.”
Another resident called for greater accountability, stating, “We want our traditional leaders to speak the truth about who is responsible for this illegal mining. The people deserve to know who is behind an activity that could destroy a state project funded by taxpayers’ money”.
Former Member of Parliament for the area, Kobina Tahiru Hammound, also expressed concern over the situation, describing it as “disheartening”.
“I received a report from one of my constituents, and considering the environmental destruction within the facility which was commenced during my tenure, I cannot sit aloof and allow this ‘nonsense’ to continue,“ he stated.
The district assembly has yet to respond to the development, as residents continue to call for swift action to protect the hospital project from further encroachment and environmental degradation.
