Martin Kwaku Ayisi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, has clarified that a group of eighty-nine (89) illegal miners, not three hundred (300) as previously reported, invaded the underground pit of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine.
Speaking on the Asempa FM Ekosiisen show, Ayisi provided an update on the situation, stating, “Three of the miners managed to escape, while the remaining eighty-six (86), who were rescued unharmed, have been handed over to the police.”
Ayisi highlighted that the miners were able to survive because they had taken refuge in a well-ventilated area within the mineshaft.
He also praised the generosity of the owners of the Obuasi Mines, saying, “The owners of the Obuasi Mines have shown great generosity with their lands.”
Additionally, Ayisi dismissed allegations that the invaded area had been abandoned and refuted claims of foreign involvement among the invaders.
“It is not true that the area has been abandoned. I have heard many small-scale miners claim that the place has been abandoned. How can you abandon a mine that was active 20 to 30 years ago?” Ayisi stated firmly.
Earlier media reports on Monday had suggested that over 300 illegal miners were trapped in an abandoned underground mining pit, facing danger due to a lack of food and essentials.
However, investigations conducted by JoyNews revealed that the illegal miners were not actually trapped but had chosen not to use alternative access routes out of fear of being arrested.
Ayisi emphasized the long history of the Obuasi mines, stating, “For one hundred and twenty-six (126) years, the Obuasi mines have been utilized for large-scale commercial mining.”
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