About the Birim River: The Birim River is one of the main tributaries of the Pra River in Ghana and the country's most important diamond-producing area, flowing through most of the width of the Eastern region.

It gives its name to the Birimian rock formation, which yields most of the gold in the region.

Ghana is the second largest producer of gold in Africa.

The Birim River basin lies in the Man Shield area of the West African craton, which has been overlaid by Early Proterozoic metasedimentary Birimian rocks.

These rocks appear to have originated in mid-oceanic arcs of volcanoes, which formed a crust that collided with and rode over the Man shield portion of the West African Craton and was compressed to form a series of folds generally trending northeasterly.

The Birimian rocks include Akwatian formations, named after the town of Akwatia in the Birim valley, which have yielded more than 100,000,000 carats (20,000 kg) of diamonds.

The great majority of the diamonds are found in Harzburgitic rocks and seem to have crystallized at unusually high temperatures and pressures deep in the lithosphere.

After many years of rigorous, illegal mining activities for gold in the Birim River, it is today a pale shadow of its former days, destroyed by galamsey.

A group has been formed which consist of 62 people to assist in protecting the river.

The Birim basin has been a source of gold for centuries, the basis for the former name of Ghana: the Gold Coast.

The plant is old and obsolescent, available only 38% of the time and producing under capacity.

The government is looking for a strategic investor to take over the mine.

The available reserves cover an area of 240 km2 along the Birim River and are estimated to contain 14,000,000 carats (2,800 kg) of proven reserve.

Most of the diamond production in the Birim basin is now by artisanal miners from alluvial and in situ diamond deposits near Akwatia.

However, the bauxite deposits are generally poor quality compared to larger deposits of higher-quality bauxite in nearby Guinea and are in an environmentally sensitive area, so are unlikely to be developed.

About the Akyem people: The Akyem people, belonging to the Akan ethnic group, hold a significant place in Ghanaian society and have a fascinating history rooted in bravery and independence.

The term "Akyem" refers to a group of four states: Asante Akyem, Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, and Akyem Bosome, located primarily in the eastern region of south Ghana.

The Akyem people have a matrilineal system, where lineage and inheritance are traced through the mother's line.

The history of the Akyem people is marked by their resilience and ability to establish a thriving and influential state within modern-day Ghana.

These six individuals played a pivotal role in Ghana's struggle for independence, with individuals of Akyem descent making up the majority of this esteemed group.

The genesis of the Akyem states can be traced to Akyemmansa, which encompasses the three traditional areas of Akyem in the eastern region of Ghana.

The Akan people, including the Akyem, originated from this area, and a group of Akan individuals who left Bonoman eventually formed the Adansi Kingdom in the mid-14th century.

The Adansi people were known for their architectural prowess, leading to their designation as "builders." During the first half of the 17th century, the region that is now Ghana was dominated by three major states: the Guans, Denkyera, and the Akwamu, with the Adansi state comprising three military posts: Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, and Akyem Bosome.

The rise of the Ashanti Kingdom under the leadership of Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu played a crucial role in shaping the destiny of the Akyem people.

This event prompted the Ashanti Army to halt their pursuit, returning to the capital, Kumasi, for the King's funeral and the installation of a new monarch.

The Akyem people played a role in the transatlantic slave trade, selling a substantial number of Ashanti prisoners of war to European slavers on the coast.

One of the significant events in Akyem history is the Akyem conquest of Akwamu in 1730.

This victory over the Akwamu, resulting from a controversy involving the Akyem royal family, is regarded as one of the most decisive in the history of the Gold Coast.

Their contributions to Ghana's struggle for independence and their prominence in various spheres of Ghanaian life have solidified their position as a respected and influential ethnic group within the country.

Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin is the 35th Chief of Akyem Abuakwa, also called Okyeman in the Eastern Region of Ghana.