Sanso youth encroach AngloGold concession
A number of young men at Sanso, one of the concessions of AngloGold Ashanti, have taken over portions of the company’s land to engage in illegal mining.
The activities of the youth are in the full glare of the local authorities.
During a visit to Obuasi by the Daily Graphic last Friday, young men were seen busily mining in the Sanso concession.
The visit was to find out whether AngloGold had moved to its new site, following a temporary shutdown of the old site.
While the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Mr Bimpoh Marfo, appeared to be in the dark about the development, the Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi, Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi, argued that the area did not fall within his domain.
A group of Chinese businessmen has joined the locals to engage in galamsey. Some of the Chinese have also hired some youth to mine the gold with the use of mercury.
As a result of the illegal mining activities, the Nyam River, which is the main source of water for the people of Sanso Nyamebekyere, has been heavily polluted, posing a health risk to the inhabitants.
Compensation
The Corporate Affairs Manager of the company, Mr John Owusu, said “it looks like these young men have been emboldened by some unseen hands”.
But the company said it had not given up in making sure that the illegal miners were dealt with and the land reclaimed.
Currently, the company is mining the uphill area of the concession, while the illegal operatives have taken charge of the downhill.
AngloGold Ashanti said the owners of the land had been compensated centuries ago, but their descendants claimed the compensation was only for the destruction of their farm produce and not the land.
They claimed they would only give up the fight if AngloGold resettled them ‘properly’ and employed them as part of the package.
Shutdown
AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine in May announced plans to shut down for between 18 and 24 months for upgrading as a result of a number of operational challenges that have bedevilled the mine in recent times.
The gold mine is currently operating behind development. This means there are no new stopes (new areas) to mine when workers go underground.
The company is expected to reduce the number of its employees.
It plans to spend $220 million in a major retrenchment exercise. The exercise, according to management, is part of a series of steps being taken to make the Obuasi Mine a profitable venture.
