
TWO REPORTED DEAD IN A CLASH BETWEEN FORESTRY OFFICIALS AND MINERS
- Environmental News
- November 12, 2023
- No Comment
- 513
Two persons have been reported dead while others have sustained injuries following a clash between forestry officers and some miners(Galamseyers) at ‘Mfante’ near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North district of Ghana.
The reported incident happened at a community mining site in ‘Mfante’ on Friday when forestry officials visited the site and after a heated confrontation between the two parties, two security men guarding the site were allegedly shot dead.
Other miners in the process also sustained varied injuries and were rushed for treatment at the Tepa Government Hospital.
The government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in two years ago launched the Community Mining Scheme policy at Mfante in 2021 with the view of creating jobs for some 2000 persons in the area.
It is believed that there have been a series of misunderstandings between forestry officers and the miners in recent years over the mining activities in the area.
Forestry officials have alleged that the said site where the incident occurred is within the forestry zone and that the miners have no legal documents backing their assertion that the said place has been earmarked for community mining.
In view of this, after forestry officers had gone to the site on Friday for monitoring, a clash ensued which led to the fatalities and death.
Meanwhile, the Assemblyman of the Mfante electoral area, Abu Issah who confirmed the incident to the media said the residents are living in fear following the incident and as a result lot of the citizens have started fleeing the community.
He is thus urging the government to bring to an end the issue by providing the required documentation on the community mining scheme and the area of demarcation in the community to avoid further confrontations.
The Police has however taken up the issue for investigation.

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