Published: January 22, 2025 |

The Obuasi underground gold mine, Ghana.
[Click image to enlarge]

Multiple people lost their lives while others suffered serious injuries on Saturday after a violent shooting incident at Ghana’s Obuasi Gold Mine. Emerging reports on the matter have had conflicting information as an investigation is currently underway by the country’s government.

In a statement posted on X Sunday, the Ghana Armed Forces said that 60 illegal miners stormed the mine site with locally manufactured firearms. The army claims that these intruders fired upon them and that they acted in self defense by shooting back, killing at least seven and injuring several others. The mine owner, Anglogold Ashanti also says they were acting in self defense.

“A large group of armed, illegal miners attempted to forcibly gain unauthorized access to mine infrastructure. Authorities mobilized to defend against this attack and to ensure the safety and security of employees and those in the immediate surrounds,” the company said.

LOCAL MINERS CLAIM THEY HAD NO GUNS

The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners says that the armed forces stationed at the operation killed nine unarmed people, according to a statement obtained by Reuters. The organization’s Chairman, Kofi Adams, described the incident as “unprecedented” and said it was difficult to understand why this had happened.

Nine are dead and 14 are severely injured, according to Adams. The reasoning behind the intrusion by the miners remains unclear. Theft is a distinct possibility.

What is clear is that the incident has sparked outrage in the local community. Several buses were set on fire by locals in the town of Obuasi on Sunday as protests erupted. Many of these protestors made their way onto the mining company’s property too, burning vehicles and company equipment over outrage about the deaths.

AngloGold Ashanti is expected to pay for medical and funeral expenses related to the unfortunate violence. The underground gold mine is one of two major projects run by the company in Ghana: Obuasi and Iduapriem. They collectively produced nearly half a million ounces last year.

NOT THE ONLY JANUARY SHOOTING IN GHANA

A couple weeks ago after a heated confrontation, local police gunned down three and injured four others who were attempting to steal gold from the Ahofo South mine run by Newmont Corporation.

They were trying to recover gold from the tailings dam section of the site, according to a report from the popular local publication Modern Ghana.

“During the operation to contain the situation, the police confronted the suspects, leading to the death of three persons and injuries to four others,” Ghana Police said in a statement on Jan. 9.

A local human rights organization, Livelihood for Environment Ghana, is not happy with that explanation from authorities at all, and described their handling of the situation as “barbaric and inhumane.”

The nation’s mining sector has been seeing a surge of violence. An ongoing economic crisis in the country has led to desperation among locals who have resorted to theft like these unfortunate victims. The broader African mining sector is renowned for being extremely dangerous and unpredictable.

Source: Mugglehead Magazine

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