Calm returns to Obuasi after illegal miners went rampage

Calm has returned to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region after illegal miners went on rampage Wednesday morning attacking the Municipal Assembly and political parties’ offices among others.

Rampaging miners who took to the streets smashed glasses and destroyed billboards of National Democratic Congress (NDC)and New Patriotic Party (npp) parliamentary candidates of Obuasi West and East before attacking the assembly offices with stones and clubs.

Some of the miners carried placards some of which read “No Galamsey No Vote” marched from the offices of the Artisanal Small Miners office at Tutuka, a suburb of Obuasi.

It took the military and police reinforcement from Kumasi to bring the situation under control after several warning shots were fired.

The miners have been protesting against their relocation from AngloGold Gold Ashanti concessions following recommendations of a 15-member committee inaugurated by the Minerals Commission in August 2016.

No one has been arrested in connection with what police describe as a spontaneous action of the illegal miners as police and military take over the streets.

Obuasi Municipal Commander, ACP Afful Boakye Yiadom who led the police charges say police will continue to monitor the situation.