6 Victims of Obuasi Mine clash laid to rest
Victims of the violent clash between some suspected illegal miners and the military at Obuasi have been laid to rest.
Six out of eight members of the community, who lost their lives during the clash at an abandoned concession belonging to AngloGold Ashanti, were released to their families for burial according to Islamic rites.
The bodies of the other two victims remain at the morgue for autopsy and also to assist in investigations.
It was an emotional scene as members of the community joined the bereaved family at the Obuasi Government Hospital for the Islamic prayers before the burial.
The Obuasi Chief Imam led the prayers.
Incident
The miners are reported to have breached a security fence at one of AngloGold Ashanti's abandoned concessions and were confronted by military personnel on guard. It is unclear what might have triggered the shooting which resulted in the death of the nine persons.
This has led to an uneasy calm in the community with security being beefed up.
While condemning the incident, members of the community have called for a thorough and impartial investigation, demanding accountability and measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Self-defence
In a statement to explain what happened, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) said its personnel acted in self-defence.
The GAF confirmed that its personnel, who were on patrol at the AngloGold Ashanti mine in Obuasi, were attacked by the illegal miners who were “armed with locally manufactured rifles, pump-action guns, gas cylinders, knives, axes, machetes, and heavy-duty industrial bolt cutters, and opened fire on the soldiers.
“The troops, sensing danger, returned fire in self-defence,” the GAF statement indicated.
Probe
Last Monday, President John Dramani Mahama ordered an immediate investigation into the violent clash.
In a statement, the government expressed profound regret over the incident which reportedly involved illegal miners.
The statement, signed by the acting Spokesperson to the President, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, gave an assurance that anyone found to have acted unlawfully would face justice.
“In response to the unfortunate incident, President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an immediate investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the clashes and ensure that individuals found to have acted unlawfully are brought to justice,” parts of the statement noted.
The statement further directed the management of AngloGold Ashanti to fully cover the medical expenses of the injured and assist with the burial arrangements for those who lost their lives.
The President has also tasked the security agencies with taking decisive action to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.