Government urged to stop illegal mining at GPS site
Mr Charles Korankye, Director of KAAS Mining Company, has appealed to government to assist in quelling the invasion of the Geo Professional Services (GPS) mines by the youth.
He said the recent invasion of its premises was carried by the youth of Tontokrom and adjoining areas in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.
He said the youth vandalised the building of GPS, looted gold bearing sand and gravel as well as equipment estimated to cost $ 10 million.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Korankye, a concessioneer, local partners of GPS at the Tontokrom site said these developments occurred soon after Mr John Peter Amewu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources gave a stop work order, and caused the arrest of its four expatriates workers and withdrew the military cover.
He said a number of illegal miners (galamseyers) have beseeched the site and opulently undertaking illegal mining.
Mr Korankye said the galamseyers modus operandi was to deploy informants at vantage points to raise the alarm, whenever strange vehicles approached the site.
“Before visitors gets to site, the galamseyers have already taken cover in the nearby bushes. They are being smart but they usually leave huge footprints in their trail,” he said.
He said the illegal and continuous occupation of the site could endanger government’s quest to woo private investors, if the impunity and the criminality was allowed to fester.
Mr Korankye therefore appealed to the Ashanti Regional and Amansie West Security Councils to assist in stopping the illegal mining being perpetrated by the youth, in conformity with the national anti-galamsey crackdown.
Mr William Bediako Asante, Chief Executive Officer of Amansie West District attested to the fact that pockets of people were washing gold whilst others were digging and collecting sand at the site, which was contrary to the undertakings reached between the traditional leaders and the community.
He said there was assurance of an- 88 member community based watch group, tasked to protect the site temporarily, awaiting the deployment of a police detachment.
Mr Asante said the Assembly was raising a budget for the Tontokrom project.
He said the site was one of the many mining areas in the District with similar issues related to illegal mining to be surmounted.
Source: GNA