Interior Minister hints of plans to shut down 'rebel land'

The Interior Minister Ambrose Dery has hinted of plans by government to take full control of Northern region town of Dollar Power and Bole Accra being controlled by armed men there.

The armed men attacked members of the Bole District Security Council last year, killing a soldier and a mother.

JoyNews’ investigative journalist Kwetey Nartey visited the area and reported of illegal gold mining activities in the small towns of Dollar Power and Bole Accra which has been a big attraction to the former Ivorian rebels.

The activities of the rebels have become a major concern for residents who told the reporter that they are constantly living in fear.

Their lands which used to be farms have been converted to mining grounds with over thousand illegal miners engaged in the activities.

“Every blessed day our lives are always at risk [because] you don’t know what will happen,” one resident said.

“This road is dangerous and sometimes we fight with them,” another said, adding none of the residents have been shot in the engagement before.

The rebels have grown bold to the extent that in 2016, some gunmen attacked members of the Bole District Security Council killing a soldier and a mother.

But in a meeting between the Interior Minister and the country’s security chiefs discussed the issue promising to halt the activities of the rebels.

The Interior Minister Ambrose Dery, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Security Chiefs from the Immigration, Prisons, Fire Service among others viewed our hotline documentary ‘Rebel Land’ to have a better understanding of happenings at Dollar Power and Bole Accra.

They took turns to ask questions bothering on security there, how these armed men operate there, and the concerns of those who work there.

Mr Dery who was impressed with the investigative piece said his chief concern has to do with how to maintain security in these areas so that those who eke out a living working there could do so in peace.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim