Chinese illegal miners to rescue of police investigators
From Simmons Yussif Kewura, Manso Nsiana
A team of police officials who undertook a fact-finding tour of the Amansie West District to ascertain facts at Manso Nsiana in the Ashanti Region, where Chinese immigrants engaged the chiefs and people of the area in a shootout barely two weeks ago, compromised on the essence of their tour.
The police team, which comprised of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Duku, Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, the Bekwai Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Mr. Akomeah Apraku, and the District Police Commander for Amansie West, Supt. Stephen Kwasi Kwakye, among others, virtually begged for fuel for one of their vehicles, before they could continue the exercise, thus disparaging the profession.
The Bekwai Divisional Commander's vehicle run short of fuel, so they did not hesitate to request for diesel to fuel the vehicle from the Chinese illegal miners, under the noses of probing journalists who accompanied the police team.
The Chinese obliged and provided the diesel in two yellow frytol containers, popularly called 'Kufour gallon', somewhere away from the prying eyes of the journalists, but some of them, including this reporter, could simply not be outwitted, as pictures of the scene were captured.
In their bid to outsmart the journalists, the police waited till all the journalists were evacuated from the site by one of the police pick-ups, before the fuel was emptied into the police vehicle, number GP 2873, belonging to the Bekwai Division.
The journalists on the trip expressed surprise, and asked if the police could do any proper investigation in the circumstance, as they compromised their profession and requested for fuel from the very people they were investigating.
The police team was at the illegal site of the Chinese, after a meeting with the chiefs and people of Amansie at Manso Mim, where the overlord of the area, Nana Opiah Mensah IV, is also Otumfuo's Wirempehene.
The police maintained that they were there to ensure that the people live in peace with the Chinese while investigations continue.
Superintendent Kwasi Ofori, in an introductory address, told the meeting, attended by assembly members from Manso Nsiana and other communities under the Wirempeh Stool, and some opinion leaders, that he was delegated by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to meet them, following the rioting between the Chinese illegal miners and the youth of Nsiana.
According to Superintendent Kwasi Ofori, the IGP was concerned about the way and manner foreigners were invading mineral deposit communities and destroying the environment, and also polluting the country's water bodies.
Superintendent Ofori suggested to the people to form special committees to ensure that the peace and security of the area were always maintained.
According to him, teachers and other organised bodies could come together to form these committees to control of the galamsey menace.
He assured the chiefs that the police would work hand in hand with the people to combat the situation.
The Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, ACP Duku, indicated that the issue of galamsey operations had now become a national issue, as various bodies such as religious leaders, traditional rulers and others were calling for action on galamsey operations in the country.
ACP Duku said the police, upon hearing of the violence at Nsiana, rushed in without any prompting to maintain peace and order, adding that they would continue to ensure peace and order at all times in the country.
The Second in Command implored the chiefs to first inform the police on whatever action they intend to take, particularly, on illegal miners, including the Chinese, adding, 'if we were informed earlier, such an incident could have been avoided.' ACP Duku expressed concern over how foreigners had taken the law into their hands by firing shots upon seeing the people, but maintained that if the police had been informed before the intended action, all these would not have happened.
He said the agency responsible for the documentation of foreigners and relevant bodies would take over the matter, while the police ensure that no one breaks the law.
The Ashanti Deputy Police Chief urged the people to always channel their grievances through the police for appropriate action.
Nana Opiah Mensah IV, Chief of Manso Mim, assured the police that nothing would happen again, adding that he and some opinion leaders went to the Chinese mining site but did not go there to harm them, rather to find out who authorised them to mine at the place.
According to Nana Mensah, the youth had promised to be law abiding, but wanted the Chinese to be flushed out from the area, as their farm produce, rivers, and the environment were under serious threat.