The Ahafo Civil Society Groups has condemned a bloody clash between the Police and some residents of Kenyasi, a mining town within the Newmont Ahafo South project area in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region.
The incident, which resulted in the death of one person, and others injured occurred on Monday, November 14, 2022.
The groups, which comprised civil society organisations operating within the Newmont Gold Ghana Limited (NGGL) Ahafo North and Ahafo South projects enclaves described the clash as “barbaric, uncivilized and unconstitutional.”
Three other civilians reportedly sustained gunshot wounds in the clash said to have erupted when the police chased four residents, suspected to be thieves from the mine’s boom-gate, and allegedly opened fire killing one of them instantly.
Addressing a news conference in Sunyani, the group insisted that the “police could have arrested them because the four suspected thieves were unarmed and defenseless to harm the police.”
The National Coalition of Mining (NCOM), another civil society organisation, supported the Groups to hold the conference to register their displeasure about what they described as rising abuses of human rights and dignity within the Mine’s enclave.
Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku, a leading member of the groups, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), an organisation that promotes community rights and environmental justice, therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate the shooting incident.
“Since 2014, approximately 16 people have died (13 adults and three children) linked to the Newmont Ahafo South Mine project alone, and several others have suffered various degrees of injuries,” he stated.
Flanked by other members of the groups, Mr. Adjei-Poku further called on the government to ensure that all military personnel engaged to guard mining companies were withdrawn, saying “we believe the protection of institutions within our borders is the mandate of the Police.”
“We are also calling on the regulatory agencies such as the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Minerals Commission to intervene and ensure that the right thing is done within the Newmont Ahafo Mine areas,” he said.
