Workers of Owere Gold Mine Limited at Konongo Odumase in the Ashanti Region are threatening to hit the streets, again, over failed attempts to stop illegal miners from foraying into the company’s concessions.
The miners are also accusing the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the Divisional Police Commander of colluding with the illegal miners (galamseyers), thus, making it difficult to stop the illegality.
General Secretary of the Owere Branch of the Mine Workers Union, Francis Owusu, told ClassFMonline.com that: “We believe that the MCE and the Divisional Police Commander are in bed with the galamsey people”.
The illegal mining, according to Mr Owusu, was started by the “assembly when they brought letters that they want to do dredging of the Owere River in front of our mines”.
“They ended up doing alluvial mining”, and polluting the river and other water bodies in the municipality, he added. The illegal activities of the assembly, Mr Owusu alleged, are hampering the execution of a dam project planned by the government to provide potable water to the people in the area.
According to him, the management of Owere has held several meetings with the municipality and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources but to no avail.
The miners went on a protest on 21 June to register their displeasure about the problem. They sent a petition to authorities to stop the practice. Thirty-five police officers were deployed to stop the illegal miners after the protest. However, the law enforcers, according to Mr Owusu, ignored the major areas where illegal mining took place such as Boabedu and Fiadegbe.
The executives of the Mine Workers Union will be meeting over the issue to decide if another demonstration was necessary.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com/100.5fm
