Africa-Press – Ghana. Several miners from Akyem Potrase have been hospitalized at the Kyebi Government Hospital following a crossfire with the Okyeman task force on Monday.
This development has escalated tension in the mining community.
The conflict erupted on Monday noon when the Okyeman task force encountered resistance from the community miners during enforcement duties.
The situation escalated when the miners obstructed entry to the community with logs of wood.
Victims of the incident are being treated for life-threatening gunshot wounds, Chief of Potrase Nana Ansah Sasraku confirmed the incident.
“I have received information on happenings in my area of jurisdiction, Potrase. Ever since I was enstooled, I found out some young men in the area engage in galamsey in the water body destroying it,” he said.
He added “I have initiated several efforts to stop them, but it wasn’t effective, not even the police could stop them. So, the Okyeman taskforce was in the area to do their findings only to be stopped by the young men to refuse them entry by using a temporary barrier they created with wood logs and sand blocks. It is disheartening that they are stopping any official due to their nefarious activities on the water body.”
Four suspects are currently in custody at the Kyebi Police division pending investigations.
Leader of the Okyeman taskforce, Baffour Asiedu Bekoe, confirmed the arrest.
“They resisted our entry into the community, it was an exchange of gun shot and other things, I can only confirm that two of my team members who were at the hospital have been discharged, we have also handed four suspects to the Kyebi Divisional Police.”
Irresponsible and illegal mining activities in the Eastern Region continue to ravage arable lands, farms, and water bodies.
The Regional Security Council Coordinator, Seth Kwame Acheampong, said he intends to find a lasting solution to recurrent conflict between the feuding parties.
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