Illegal Miners In Amenfi East Storm Assembly Office Over Anti-Galamsey Strike: “Galamsey Yɛbɛyɛ”

• Some illegal miners in Amenfi East stormed their assembly office in protest of the anti-galamsey strike by organised labour
• Videos showed scores of miners at the assembly office vowing not to stop illegal mining
• Assembly staff, who are part of organised labour, were barred from working due to threats against them

Ahead of the organised labour strike to protest government inaction on illegal mining, some illegal miners in Amenfi East stormed their assembly office.

The illegal miners said they would continue with galamsey, the slang term for illegal mining.

Videos showed scores of miners in red at the assembly office voicing support for the practice, which has plunged Ghana into an environmental crisis.

Some of the residents rely on illegal mining for income and livelihood.

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Organised Labour dissenters threaten to sue over union's 'unlawful' galamsey strike

Daily Guide reported that assembly staff, who are part of organised labour, were barred from working due to threats against the government.

This is the same area where the New Patriotic Party’s parliamentary candidate for Wassa Amenfi East was arrested for making controversial comments about illegal mining.

The candidate, Ernest Frimpong, allegedly incited violence against security personnel in illegal mining communities.

Frimpong later said his remarks, which went viral and courted controversy, were taken out of context.

Organised labour strike

Organised labour is set to begin a nationwide strike on October 10, 2024, protesting illegal mining in Ghana.

The unions had threatened the strike if the government did not take action to combat illegal mining.

Organised labour has urged workers to stay home until the government meets its demands.

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GMA petitioned to remove president, Dr Frank Serebour, following withdrawal from galamsey strike

It had previously set a deadline of September for the government to take decisive measures against illegal mining activities.

However, the government has yet to give a favourable response to the demands to end illegal mining.

Two found dead after illegal mining pit collapses

YEN.com.gh reported that two persons died in a mining pit at Ataase in the Amenfi East Municipality of the Western Region.

The male and female victims were working in the pit when it caved in on Sunday, January 15, 2024.

There have been images from the site showing an excavator retrieving the dead bodies from the pit.

Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh