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The police have apprehended a group of eighty-six illegal miners who entered the underground area of the Obuasi Mine, owned by AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana. They were caught as they emerged from the underground through one of the main shafts, where the police and security personnel of Ghana’s largest gold mining company swiftly arrested them. The suspects are currently in police custody and are being prepared for court proceedings.
According to reports, the illegal miners accessed the underground area using unauthorized routes. However, the mining company had sealed off these routes, forcing the miners to exit through the main shaft. Three individuals evaded capture, but the rest chose not to emerge and raised the alarm, claiming they were trapped underground.
This incident created tension in the gold mining town of Obuasi, leading to the gathering of family members of the suspects who staged a protest. The protesters clashed with soldiers, and in response, heavily armed police and soldiers fired shots to disperse the crowd as part of the crackdown on the illegal miners.
Later, it was reported that hundreds of other miners were also trapped underground. Initially, 38 miners came out and were subsequently arrested. The situation began on Monday, May 29, 2023, when seven illegal miners exited a shaft and were apprehended. The management of the Obuasi Mine responded the following day, denying anyone was trapped and stating that those remaining underground were reluctant to come out because of fears of arrest.
In a statement, AngloGold, the mining company, affirmed that “unauthorized persons underground can exit.” The company emphasized that no one had been confined underground and that the main exit ramp from the mine remained open.
Relatives of the illegal miners disputed this claim, asserting that the miners had been trapped for several days without food or water. Dozens of individuals who managed to escape were arrested for operating illegally in the area.
By Thursday morning, June 1, 2023, all those who were reportedly trapped underground had exited, resulting in the arrest of 86 individuals who were subsequently placed in police custody.
Authorities, however, expressed concern that despite this incident, new individuals still sneaked into the underground area.
The issue of illegal miners infiltrating the underground of the 126-year-old Obuasi Mine has been a persistent problem faced by the mining company over the years.
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Source: Omanghana.com
