Story: George Ernest Asare, Obuasi.
SIX illegal gold miners trapped in the Obuasi mine of Anglogold Ashanti have made a dramatic escape by launching an attack on security personnel who had gone to effect their arrest.
The six galamsey operators, trapped 2300 feet underground at the Adansi Shaft and armed with explosives, knives, machetes and other dangerous weapons, attacked the security men on guard in the underground mines and succeeded in escaping through some of the channels around 7:30 pm last Sunday.
This came barely a week after the illegal miners battled security men at Obuasi and escaped from the deep mines where they had been trapped for some days.
Prior to that, the operators had thrown stones at the security men, officials of Anglogold and media men who had gone underground around 12:30 pm to investigate.
The illegal operators were holed up in an obscure corner in a rock at the time the officials and journalists arrived in the deep mines and they threatened the life of anyone who attempted getting close to them, insisting that they should be allowed to carry their booty away to enable them to recoup what they considered to be the huge investment they had made.
“ We would only come out if the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, comes here to intervene. After coming so close to having access to three quality rocks, we cannot just leave them behind to make the huge investments made go to waste and get home empty handed, so allow us to carry our booty away, ” one of them shouted.
The incident came to light last Saturday when security men at Anglogold discovered that the illegal mtners had used explosives to gain access into one of their strategic rocks at the Adansi Shaft.
Briefing newsmen on the incident at Obuasi, the Mine Manager, Mr Ahmed Bashiri, said last Saturday, they heard unusual noises at some of their strategic areas within the Adansi Shaft and during investigations, they realised that about six illegal miners had entered the deep mines and exploiting some of their strategic rocks “which had been left purposely to hold the deep mines together”.
He said all attempts to flush them out since last Saturday proved futile and the situation was creating security concerns to the mines.
He expressed concern about the operations of the illegal miners, especially coming at a time Anglogold was planning to undertake further operations underground.
“ We are planning to undertake further operations underground, but these illegal miners are creating danger by destroying the pillars that hold the mines together, and if it continues, the mines would finally collapse to create a big problem for the company and the state,” he noted.
Explaining. Mr Bashiri said it was the strategically located Adansi Shaft which would be used to create avenues for further underground mining, “ but the rate at which these illegal miners are destroying the shaft can cause the collapse of the mines”.
He therefore appealed to all stakeholders to collaborate with the management of Anglogold to flush out the illegal miners to protect and secure the mines to enhance their operations.
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