Adansi Asokwa Agenda 111 project under siege as illegal miners take over lands behind facility

In a troubling revelation that highlights the ongoing struggle between development goals and illegal resource extraction, the abandoned Agenda 111 hospital project in Adansi Asokwa, Ashanti Region, has become a hotbed of illicit mining activities, posing serious environmental and public health risks to the surrounding community.

Investigations by JoyNews have confirmed that vast tracts of land situated directly behind the walls of the multi-million-cedi hospital facility have been systematically been systematically been excavated by illegal miners in pursuit of gold deposits. What was intended to be a state-of-the-art healthcare center serving the Adansi Asokwa district and its neighboring communities has instead become a landscape scarred by deep open pits and water-filled trenches, evidence of extensive and ongoing mining operations.

Local residents report that illegal mining activities have persisted for years in the area, with the most recent intensification occurring perilously close to the hospital structure itself. During a recent site visit, journalists observed miners actively engaged in excavation work, utilizing water pumps connected to mechanized boreholes to facilitate the extraction and washing of gold ore. At least three heavy-duty excavators were spotted operating in the field, their buckets continuously tearing into the earth in search of the precious mineral.

Perhaps most alarming is the visible contamination spreading from the mining sites. Thick, muddy sludge laden with mining waste and chemicals can be seen flowing from the excavation areas toward the abandoned hospital building and nearby residential structures, raising serious concerns about water pollution and potential long-term health impacts on the community.

The situation is particularly troubling given the proximity of the illegal mining operations to key state security installations. The project site lies a mere 500 meters from both the Adansi Asokwa District Assembly offices and the District Police Headquarters—a fact that has not escaped the notice of local officials and community leaders.

Assembly member for Bawdwesango, Agyekum, voiced deep frustration over the apparent lack of enforcement, stating: “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 upholding the law have turned a blind eye to what is happening.”

The Adansi Asokwa hospital forms part of the government’s ambitious Agenda 111 initiative, launched in 2021 with the goal of constructing 111 district hospitals across Ghana to enhance healthcare accessibility. Community members had initially welcomed the project with optimism, anticipating improved medical services and reduced travel times for treatment. However, the encroachment of illegal mining has cast serious doubts over the facility’s future usability and safety.

Residents have united in an urgent appeal to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and all relevant governmental authorities to take immediate and decisive action to halt the mining activities and reclaim the site for its intended purpose. As one concerned citizen put it: “We want our traditional leaders to speak the truth about who is behind this illegal mining. The people deserve to know who is responsible for an activity that could destroy a state-funded project financed by taxpayer money.”

Adding their voice to the growing concern, former Member of Parliament for the area, Kobina Tahiru Hammound, described the situation as “disheartening,” noting that the environmental degradation occurring on a project that commenced during his tenure in office represents a significant betrayal of public trust.

As of the time of this report, the district assembly had not issued any public statement regarding the illegal mining invasion, despite increasing pressure from residents and civil society groups demanding intervention to protect this critical national health infrastructure project.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the complex challenges facing Ghana’s development agenda, where the pursuit of vital social services often collides with the persistent lure of illegal resource extraction, requiring coordinated action between government agencies, traditional authorities, and local communities to safeguard both public investments and environmental integrity.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE