Residents of Akyem Akanteng near Asamankese in the Eastern Region have vowed to protect the Community from the scourge of illegal mining.
The residents say the Community is a no-go area for illegal mining warning that they will fight any group that invades the Community to engage in the illegal activity.
“Women are afraid to go to farm because of these arm men firing warning shots here and there. All that we are telling the government is that we dislike illegal mining here .so we will fight any intruder. If the government wants to send security men for the operation they should use proper channels .come to see Nananom and MUSEC else we will fight them as well because we have seen that the security personnel who come here are illegal miners. We also urged President to fish out Barfuor Asare and sack him because he came to do illegal mining to bey taken away gold dust” Kwame NPP told mybrytfmonline.com
Another resident said “the President said he has banned mining in Forest reserve so why does national security from Jubilee house come to the forest to mine gold. We are ready to fight on. Even if you are security we will fight you”
The youth of Akyem Akanteng on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, invaded the Atewa Forest reserve to arrest about seventeen (17) illegal miners including 14 National Security Operatives who claim to be working at the Jubilee House.
The armed National Security Operatives trespassed into the forest at dawn to illegally mine gold however the youth of the community was on alert therefore massed and rounded up the suspects, manhandled and dragged them to the Chiefs’ palace before handing them over to the Forestry Commission and Police.
Five vehicles used by the operatives were smashed with some of the tires deflated by the angry youth. The damaged vehicles include a Tundra with registration number NR 9706-20, Toyota Hilux with registration number GT 9683-14, and Nissan Patrol GR with registration number GW 1966-12.
The Asamankese Divisional Police Commander ACP Kankam Boadu narrated that “Police had intelligence that some national security personnel has been accosted at the Akanteng chief’s palace. We rushed there and they handed over to us eight men who claim to be National security personnel and three illegal miners. Our interim investigation indicates that the national security personnel came there to mine for gold that is why the town folks were arrested. We rearrested them and sent them to the Regional Police Command to continue with their investigation. Our information is that the forestry Commission had earlier taken some of the national security personnel to the region but we don’t know their number”.
ACP Kankam Boadu confirmed that the suspects “were manhandled by the members of the community. They identified themselves as National Security Personnel”.
The Assembly Member for the Akyem Akanteng Henry Owusu Kesse said for the past three weeks illegal miners from Obuasi, Tarkwa, and other places armed with guns have turned their attention to the area to illegally mine gold in the forest which the community has been fighting against with support of forest guards since the community detest illegal mining.
Source: Mybryfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
