Obuasi residents flee as illegal miners go on rampage

The threat to kidnap children of AngloGold workers forced the authorities to close down the company’s basic school in the area.

A source told the Daily Graphic that the school would remain closed until the police brought the situation under control.

The illegal miners are said to have been angered by the presence of National Security operatives who closed down some mining pits at Kwabrafoso and other areas  where the illegal miners  were having a field day.

A source in Obuasi told Daily Graphic that as part of the measures to flush out foreigners carrying out illegal mining in Obuasi and its environs, National Security personnel besieged Obuasi early on Tuesday and arrested some Chinese galamsey operators.

The source said the operatives also closed down a number of pits which were being mined illegally for gold in the concession of AngloGold Ashanti

According to the source, the closure of the pits and the arrest of the Chinese angered their local partners, causing them to threaten to confront the National Security operatives and workers of AngloGold.

Confirming the story, the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohammed Yusif Tanko,  said when news broke out that the local galamsey operators were creating fear and panic in Obuasi, the regional police command  quickly responded by dispatching a number of policemen to restore sanity.

“So far, Obuasi is calm and we are in control,” Mr Tanko told the Daily Graphic in an interview.

He said since the operation to arrest foreigners engaged in illegal mining was primarily carried out by National Security, he could not indicate the number of miners who were arrested on Tuesday.

He  also  confirmed that two vehicles belonging to AngloGold Ashanti in Obuasi were destroyed by the rampaging galamseyers but said the police were yet to make any arrest.

Story by George Ernest Asare