Illegal Miners Invade Agenda 111 Hospital
Illegal miners have invaded land surrounding the unfinished Agenda 111 Hospital project at Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region, raising serious concerns over the safety of the nearly completed facility and the environmental destruction being caused by the activities.
Residents say the illegal miners have excavated large portions of land within the hospital enclave, sparking fears that the project could be undermined structurally and become vulnerable to flooding when it eventually becomes operational.
The Agenda 111 Hospital, one of the flagship healthcare projects launched in 2021 by the Akufo-Addo administration to improve access to quality healthcare in underserved districts, is estimated by residents to be about 90 percent complete. However, construction reportedly stalled following the change of government after the 2024 general elections.
The illegal mining activities are taking place close to key public institutions, including the Adansi Asokwa District Police Headquarters, the District Assembly and the District Court, prompting residents to question why the operations have been allowed to continue without any apparent intervention.
Assembly Member for the Bawdwesango Electoral Area, Agyekum, described the situation as disturbing, saying illegal mining was destroying fertile agricultural land while threatening a major national investment.
“It is heartbreaking to see illegal mining destroying our arable lands,” he lamented. “It is even more worrying that these activities are taking place so close to the district police headquarters without any decisive action.”
Residents also fear that the excavations, coupled with the hospital’s location near the Jimi River, could significantly increase the risk of flooding during heavy rains, endangering future patients, healthcare workers and the hospital infrastructure.
A resident, Kate Adu Nyaanta, appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and the relevant state institutions to intervene before the situation worsens.
“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,” she said.
Another resident, Akosua Yiwah, called on traditional authorities to identify those behind the illegal mining operations, warning that altering the natural course of the Jimi River could trigger devastating floods in the area.
Former Adansi Asokwa Member of Parliament, K. T. Hammond, who said he played a key role in securing the hospital project for the constituency while serving in government, condemned the illegal mining activities and expressed disappointment that the project had been left exposed after construction stalled.
“I cannot sit aloof and allow this nonsense to continue,” he declared, calling for immediate action to protect the hospital project from further encroachment.
Residents are therefore calling on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Minerals Commission and the Ghana Police Service to investigate the illegal mining activities and bring those responsible to book.
Despite mounting public concern and the proximity of the mining site to major state institutions, the Ashanti Regional Security Council has yet to publicly comment on the development.
