Soldiers and Miners Collide in Ghana’s Ashanti Region
According to the army At least seven lives were claimed during a clash with soldiers at a mine in Ghana’s central Ashanti region. The Ghana Armed Forces reported that around 60 illegal miners broke into a mine operated by global giant AngloGold Ashanti and opened fire on the soldiers when they were confronted.
It said in a statement This prompted the soldiers “to retaliate in self-defence,” leading to the deaths and injuries.
A representative of the miners, however, claimed they were not with ammunitions.
After the news of the dead miners spread, the people took to protesting in Obuasi town, setting several buses on fire.
Following the killings, furious residents also stormed the company’s premises, burning at least three vehicles and other equipment belonging to AngloGold Ashanti.
The president, John Mahama, has ordered a thorough investigation into the killing incident, adding that anyone found guilty will receive their punishment accordingly.
A statement from the presidency confirmed that eight people had died.
The government has directed AngloGold Ashanti to pay for the medical treatment of those injured and cover burial costs while directing security agencies to work to restore peace in the area.
AngloGold Ashanti commented that everything is in place now and it is working together with the authorities.
It added that its main concern was “the safety and health of our employees and those in our community” who were affected by the incident.
Kofi Adams, the local chairman of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, who was quoted by the Reuters news agency, stated that the violence was “unprecedented.”.
He stated that nine people were killed and 14 sustained serious injuries and stated that it was “difficult to understand why it had happened.”.
He explained that in the past, warning shots were fired to scare off intruders and denied the military’s claim that the people were armed.
The army stated that the “illegal miners” were carrying locally made rifles, pump-action guns, and other weapons. It argued that it had a responsibility to protect itself, innocent civilians, and property, even if it meant using lethal force.
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There has been a beef between AngloGold Ashanti and local residents, who laid allegations on the company of exploiting mineral resources without contributing much to the community’s development or job creation.
Some local small-scale mining groups have been requesting a share of the company’s mining concessions.
The company stood firm that they have been doing a lot in the communities.
Some schools in the area, built and managed by the company, on Monday announced that they would shut down for two days due to the recent disturbances.
There have been ongoing conflicts between security forces and mining communities, but the situation has worsened due to the country’s current economic problems.
Ghana is facing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with high public debt, inflation, and unemployment.
Amidst this disaster, small-scale mining has increased, including unregulated mining sites that are harming the environment.
Content Credit| Igbakuma Rita Doom
Picture Credit | https://www.ghanapeacejournal.com/
