2 Dead, 1 In Critical Condition After Illegal Miners Storm Tano-Anwia Forest Reserve
- Two persons were killed after two groups of illegal miners clashed in the Tano-Anwia forest reserve in the Aowin municipality
- The groups are said to have been led by known political activists and have taken over the forest reserve to mine illegally
- Members of a rapid response team dispatched to the area were later accosted by the illegal miners.
Two persons were killed after two groups of illegal miners reportedly laid siege to the Tano-Anwia forest reserve in the Aowin municipality of the Western region.
Joy News reported that this led to a clash and gunfire during the incident on Wednesday, January 22, which also left one person in critical condition.
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The armed groups, allegedly led by two known political activists, have taken over the biodiversity area and are mining illegally.
Joy News reported that some people accused the MP of sponsoring the fresh siege on the forest in the area.
Members of a rapid response team dispatched to stop the illegality were later accosted outside the forest area by the illegal miners on motorbikes, taken to an unknown location and assaulted.
Foresty guards destroyed some equipment set up by the illegal miners in the forest as instructed.
Joy News checks revealed they seized the weapons of some of the forest guards.
Sources at the Forestry Commission say forest guards cannot discharge their duties anymore because of the latest invasion.
Forest reserves affected by the latest wave of invasion include Tano Anwia, Tano Nimri, and the Yoo Yoo forests.
Illegal mining violence at Obuasi
Soldiers killed at least seven people believed to be illegal miners at an AngloGold Ashanti mine on January 18.
The Ghana Armed Forces claimed the soldiers acted in self-defence. People from the Obuasi township, including its Member of Parliament, have called for a thorough and impartial investigation, demanding accountability and measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
President John Mahama ordered a probe into the clash between illegal miners and soldiers protecting AngloGold Ashanti Mines that left at least seven dead.
The government also expressed regret over the loss of life in the January 18 incident and called for anyone found to have acted unlawfully during the incident to be held accountable.
Victims of Obuasi violence buried
YEN.com.gh reported that six of the victims of the clash between some suspected illegal miners and the military at Obuasi were buried on January 22.
Six people who lost their lives during the clash at an abandoned concession belonging to AngloGold Ashanti were released to their families for burial according to Islamic rites.
Other victims are still in the morgue pending autopsies and also to assist in investigations.
There have been varying reports about the number of fatalities, which has ranged from seven to nine depending on the publication and source.
The army said seven persons had been killed, the presidency noted eight, while the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners told Reuters that nine people were killed.
Proofread by Samuel Gitonga, Copy Editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
