The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has warned that the government will not countenance any unlawful entry into the concession of Anglogold Ashanti (AGA) in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

Mr Jinapor stressed that any person found to have illegally entered the concession to mine would be made to face the full rigours of the law. 

“I want to deliver this message to the Obuasi community that the government’s position is that we recognise that we need to find alternative livelihoods for the youth of Obuasi and we are working with AGA to do just that. However, I want to send a strong signal that the lack of employment can never be a justification for attacking the concession of AGA. 

“We are determined to protect this mine, and I want to state forcefully that it is government’s policy that AGA’s concession be protected through all legal means. Therefore, the mining laws of this country will be enforced strictly,” he stated. 

The minister gave the caution when he paid a working visit to Obuasi yesterday, a week after some illegal miners invaded AGA’s concession. 

On May 29, there were reports that about 300 illegal miners who encroached AGA’s concession were trapped in one of the shafts at Anwiam in the Obuasi East District of the Ashanti Region.

The illegal miners were said to have entered the underground shaft to mine but were trapped after the exit routes were closed. 

Two days after the incident, it was reported that 86 of the illegal miners had been rescued and handed over to the police.

To unravel the mystery surrounding the issue, Mr Jinapor led a team of mining experts on a fact-finding mission to  AGA Obuasi Mines and interacted with key stakeholders. 

The team, which included the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mines, George Mireku Duker; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi; and the advisor on mines to the Lands Minister, Benjamin Aryee, sought to unravel the circumstances under which scores of illegal miners invaded the underground shaft of AGA and how best the tide could be stemmed going forward. 

As part of the fact-finding mission, the minister held a crunch meeting with the Obuasi Municipal Security Council and the Obuasi East District Security Council.

Present at the meeting were the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Elija Adansi Binnah; District Chief Executive for Obuasi East, Faustina Amissah, as well as the regional and district 
commanders for the various security agencies such as the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prison Service and the Ghana Fire Service.

After the joint meeting with the security councils behind closed doors, the minister also held a meeting with the chiefs within the Obuasi area to discuss the impasse and the way forward.

Additionally, the team met the management members of AGA and the Ghana National Association of Small-scale Miners in camera so as to obtain multiple sides to the issues. 

Mr Jinapor said having met and discussed the issue with the various stakeholders, he had gained deeper knowledge and understanding of the issues at stake. 

Again, he said based on the facts presented to him on the issue, some conclusions had been reached to protect AGA’s concession.

“I want to underscore the importance of AGA as an asset to the national economy of our country.

“As we are all aware, this mine was put under our care and maintenance in 2016 because of some of these illegal mining activities happening today. Through the instrumentality of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Asantehene, the mine was brought back to life in 2019. We will not allow it to go down again,” he assured. 

He said no person was allowed under any circumstance to invade or attack AGA concession. 

“If they do as they have done, they will be arrested, prosecuted and the law will take its course,” he said. 

Responding to a question on the fate of the 86 people who were picked up for illegal entry into the AGA mining shaft, the minister said they would be made to face the full rigours of the law. 

“The laws of our country will take their course. This issue will be treated like any other criminal conduct in Ghana; the laws will fully apply and if they are found to have flouted the mining laws, they have to be prosecuted.” 

It had been reported that some 300 illegal miners had been trapped in AGA’s mining shaft. 

However, the Chief Executive Officer of AGA, Eric Asubonteng, said only 86 persons had surfaced from the mines. 

He said all 86 persons were handed over to the police. 

“We do not know where the 300 figure that was reported came from. If someone who is unauthorised enters underground, we cannot know,” he said. 

He added that if anyone was still underground, the main entrance was opened for such people to exit.