By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
A contingent of military reinforcement from the 4th Infantry Battalion in Kumasi had to fire many warning shots before a mob that had besieged the premises of the Obuasi Central Police Station on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, would disperse.
The reinforcement had been necessitated by the refusal of the mob to leave after hours of persuasion by the Police command and even the NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi West, Madam Faustilove Appiah Kaning, for the aggrieved youth to leave the premises so further arrangements could be made for police enquiry bail for the miners arrested upon their emergence from the underground mine.
Madam Appiah Kaning had already helped secure police enquiry bail for about 15 of the 48 arrested miners as of 3 p.m. Even upon their dispersal, while the warning shots were reducing, there were stones thrown from the various directions of the mob at the security operatives.
The angry youth, made up of both males and females, some of them wielding deadly implements such as cutlasses and clubs, resorted to the burning of lorry tyres at separate spots along the stretch of road from the AngloGold Ashanti roundabout to the Central Police Station.
They had been at the police station premises since the morning following the arrest of the miners. They wanted those arrested released from Police custody. While at the police station, GBC News saw one of those arrested brought out of police custody and transported in a motorised tricycle for emergency medical care as he had become very weak.
Madam Faustilove Appiah Kaning and her entourage were also seen supplying soft drinks to refresh those who were in custody. Meanwhile, as of 5 p.m., about 40 miners had refused to come out of the underground mine belonging to AngloGold Ashanti at Ahansony3wodea-Anwiam in the Obuasi East district.
This was despite assurances of their safety by the Obuase East District Chief Executive, Madam Faustina Amissah, with the excuse that they would be readily arrested and sent to police custody right away.
This was because of the deployment of military and police personnel as well as internal security at AngloGold Ashanti to accost them for trespassing on the company’s legal concession. However, residents of the area also argue that the pit has been abandoned by AngloGold, and they now must have access to prospect for gold there to fend for themselves.
