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Tensions reached a boiling point in the Gbane community of the Talensi district in the Upper East Region as illegal miners vehemently opposed efforts by the Upper East Regional Security Council and the Minerals Commission to shut down the mining pits they were operating.
The confrontation unfolded in the early hours of Friday, March 15, 2024, lasting nearly 7 hours as security forces, including military and police personnel, clashed with the miners, resulting in injuries among the miners.
Reports indicated that the illegal gold miners were operating within concessions leased to Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited, a Chinese mining firm. Despite the legal ownership of the area, the miners persisted in their unauthorized activities, leading to frustration from authorities.
Security forces’ attempts to close the illegal mining pits were met with fierce resistance from the miners, culminating in a physical altercation.
Tensions escalated further when warning shots were fired by uniformed personnel to disperse the crowd, prompting the miners and their spouses to retaliate by hurling stones at the security officers and their vehicles.
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Amid the chaos, a young miner was reportedly shot and critically injured, later succumbing to his injuries after being rushed to a nearby hospital.
In response to the shooting, enraged miners stormed the operational area of the Chinese mining company, forcibly breaking through the entrance and assaulting a Chinese worker.
The injured worker was evacuated to the company’s hospital for treatment. Sources within the company revealed that the illegal miners had conducted extensive underground mining, connecting their pits to the company’s designated mining area, enabling them to pilfer gold ore during blasting operations.
David Da’an, a miner, acknowledged that while the area was leased to Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited, compensation was paid to local concession owners for operating in the area.
However, he questioned the need to seal off their pits if there were no connections to the company’s tunnels, emphasizing the dependence of their livelihoods on mining activities.
Another miner, Douglas Sariya, vowed to resist any attempts to close the pits, calling on President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia to intervene on their behalf, warning of political repercussions if their grievances were not addressed.
“We informed the company that whenever our tunnels intersected with theirs, we would close ours. However, our tunnels are not linked to the company’s. So, why do they want to seal off our pits?
“If Bawumia is attentive to our concerns, he should intercede on our behalf; otherwise, we, the youth, will align with the NDC. When that happens, we will ensure that no NPP vehicle is allowed to campaign in Gbane,” he declared.
