The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has condemned the invasion of an abandoned concession of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi mine by some illegal miners who consequently clashed with the military.
The violent clash led to the tragic loss of nine lives, with several others sustaining various degrees of injury.
Describing the invasion as ‘unacceptable’, the Asantehene recounted similar incidents in 2016 where the mining company agreed to lease a portion of its abandoned concession to the miners.
But this, according to the Asantehene, the miners had argued they were not handed to the right people, fueling the recent insurgence in Ghana’s oldest gold mining town.
“It is not acceptable. People cannot say that, because we want to eat, we have to takeover mine. That can’t be done. We are not living in a Banana Republic. The law must be obeyed,” he said.
The Asantehene spoke when a delegation from AGA paid a visit to him at the Manhyia Palace to brief him on the recent shooting incident in the gold mining town.
Otumfuo highlighted the bilateral importance of the mine and the community in fostering communal and national growth.
“That is not unacceptable for people to take the law into their own hands, to go and disturb legitimate business which AngloGold and Obuasi are intertwined. The community relies on the mining and the mining company is also dependent on the community,” he added.
He further noted he has been informed by the government of the measures and policies being instituted to ensure amicable resolution between small-scale miners and mining companies.
The Asantehene also explained he has been informed of the uptight security and safety measures put in place by the army and the national security in safeguarding residents and even employees of the mining company.
Otumfuo is however awaiting a stakeholder’ dialogue with the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry on policies to be instituted with regard to illegal mining activities in the region and across the country.
“I know the meeting will come up once the Minister is in place so that we will have a candid and thorough meeting with the President and Minister on the way forward in relation to dealing with the illegal mining,” he noted.