By Isaac Krah Nsiah
A dispute over illegal mining (galamsey) negotiations has erupted in Jogboi, Savannah Region, after a local contractor, known only as Carpenter Kooro, allegedly diverted community funds meant for development projects.
The controversy began when a company, represented by a man identified as Mr Nii, approached the Jogboi community through Carpenter Kooro and Nnaa Solomon Dompeeh, brother of Dr Gyinde. At a general meeting attended by all clans and elders, Mr Nii promised to build a chief’s palace, provide GHS 60,000 as seed money, and pay GHS 10,000 monthly until construction was completed.
The community accepted the offer in good faith. After the initial GHS 60,000 was handed to Carpenter Kooro for safekeeping, he allegedly distributed only GHS 15,000 to selected clans, excluded the Biafong clan, and kept the remaining GHS 45,000. Mr Nii later told the community that the funds were meant solely for development and that Carpenter Kooro had no entitlement to any portion.
Months passed without the promised palace or monthly payments. When summoned, Mr Nii revealed that Carpenter Kooro had demanded a vehicle from the Regional Minister and that an unregistered car, purchased with community money, was now in Kooro’s possession. He confirmed that the remaining GHS 60,000 and at least six months of the GHS 10,000 payments had been collected by Kooro.
In response, the Jogboi community passed a resolution barring further payments to Carpenter Kooro and set up a Community Committee to receive any future funds directly from Mr Nii. Despite the directive, Kooro allegedly continued to collect money from Mr Nii without community consent.
The community subsequently filed a petition for fraudulent breach of trust and misappropriation of funds, copying the Traditional Council, regional and district authorities, and the National Peace Council. Although the petition was widely circulated, no official response was received from the Traditional Council or security agencies. Father Lazarus of the National Peace Council visited Jogboi, but the Registrar of the North Mo Traditional Council could not locate the letter, and the Acting President of the Council claimed no knowledge of it.
With the matter still unresolved, the Jogboi community says it retains documentary evidence and witnesses to support its claims and warns that the grievance remains unresolved despite public claims of peace.
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