In the middle of a heated debate about the destructive effect of illegal mining activities at Dompem-Pepesa in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region, the Chief Executive of the area, Benjamin Kesse was more concerned about the failure of the chief of the town, Nana Nyowah Panyin to address him as ‘honorable’.
Benjamin Kesse scolded the chief and asked him to accord him the respect of his position by referring to him as 'honorable'.
The intervention by the chief shocked the host of Onua TV’s breakfast show, Captain Smart who was interviewing the two personalities about illegal mining operations in their town.
“Please call me honorable. He should add honorable to my name”, he told Captain Smart who appeared shocked by the statement from the MCE.
But Nana Nyowah Panyin protested, arguing that the MCE does not merit the title as he has allegedly been involved in some illegal mining operations in the community.
Nana Nyowah alleged that the MCE and Member of Parliament for the area, George Mireku Duker are neck-deep in galamsey operations in the area.
"I know not of any company, but I know of the very people who are behind the operations of 'galamsey' in my area. First and foremost, the Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, is involved.
"The MP for the area, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Honourable George Mireku-Duker, is also involved, and the MCE, Benjamin Kessie, is also involved. I have told you I am not going to disclose my arsenals to you," the chief said.
Both the MP and MCE have denied the allegations, maintaining that there have no interest in galamsey operations in the area.
The MCE, in a Joy FM interview said “It is not true. Whatever he said is a lie, a total lie…There is an issue here in Dompim and it is purely chieftaincy; and he knows that we do not support his bid so he started this long ago about three years ago and he has been running around.
“Today, he knows that the President is very much particular about the fight against galamsey so he feels that he is taking the opportunity to make this wild allegation so that he will get a hearing for what he is saying. So that the President will call somebody and disappoint the person. I have documentation to the effect that he wrote to the President not to appoint me. He has done everything,”
