Fatal Tontokrom clash: Asanko Gold Mine managers call for swift investigation
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Management of Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd, operators of the Asanko Gold Mine in the Ashanti Region, has condemned the murder of its contracted security personnel and a civilian by illegal miners at Tontokrom.
The company has therefore called for swift investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Asanko remains committed to the safety of our employees, contractors and community members, and urges the security agencies in the country to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book,” it said in a press release dated March 4.
“On Saturday, 2nd March, 2024, the Security Personnel conducted periodic patrols within the mining communities in the Ashanti Region. As part of the patrol, officers of the State Security visited the Tontokrom Concession belonging to Asanko. To the surprise of everyone, the illegal miners did not come out to carry out their illegal mining activities that day.
To secure the Tontokrom Concession, Asanko then deployed its licensed contractor private security service provider to patrol the area. While the officials of the licensed private security service provider were patrolling the Tontokrom Concession, they were attacked by the illegal miners who were hiding in the bushes,” managers of the mine explained.
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They continued that, “Upon seeing the illegal miners emerging from the bushes with various guns, club, machetes and other weapons, the security officers chose to retreat since they were unarmed. Unfortunately, two (2) of the private security officers were captured and lynched to death by these illegal miners. Asanko was also informed that a civilian was also lynched to death by these criminals. In all, three (3) persons are dead.”
The Management of Asanko Gold Mine noted that “for years now, it has always been the case that illegal miners, who are not residents at Tontokrom, have been encroaching on Asanko’s legally held concessions. It has also been the case that these illegal miners have been harassing both the staff of Asanko and its contractors.”
They stressed that “the activities of these illegal miners are erasing all the efforts that the government and its officers are putting in to make Ghana the premier mining investment destination in the world.”
