In a shocking display of violence, heavily armed thugs launched a brutal assault on the Konongo Odumase Concession of Northern Ashanti Mines Co. Ltd. on Monday, September 2, 2024.
The attack, which took place at the company’s mining site in Konongo Odumase, Asante Akim Central Municipality, left two employees seriously injured and resulted in the theft of gold ore worth millions of dollars.
The assailants, armed to the teeth with firearms, machetes, clubs, bows, and arrows, wreaked havoc on the facility. Their rampage caused extensive damage to the company’s property, including three vehicles and critical mining infrastructure.
The sheer ferocity of the attack has stunned the region and prompted an urgent response from authorities.
As the search for the perpetrators intensifies, the incident underscores the escalating threat to mining operations in the area and raises alarm over the effectiveness of current security measures.
Northern Ashanti Mines Co. Ltd. has expressed serious concern over a disturbing rise in attacks by armed illegal miners.
They have highlighted that the recent assault on their Konongo Odumase Concession is part of a broader trend of escalating violence, rather than an isolated incident.
In their statement, the company revealed that despite their active engagement with local security authorities and the Municipal Security Council to address these persistent threats, their efforts have so far proven ineffective.
This situation underscores the urgent need for more robust security measures to protect their operations and personnel.
“Management of the mine has held several meetings with the Municipal Security Council headed by the MCE for Asante Akyim Central; the latest of which concerned another attack that the mine suffered less than three months ago,” parts of the statement read.
“Northern Ashanti Mines finds these recurrent attacks inimical to the quest of government to promote a sustainable legal and properly regulated mining industry where investors are offered a favorable environment to contribute to the growth of the nation,” it emphasized.
The company has highlighted the grave implications of this violence, particularly given the upcoming elections in Ghana, where ensuring stability is vital.
They also expressed concern that the stolen funds might be used to finance terrorism, exacerbating the security challenges in an already unstable region facing significant threats.
“We are fully aware of the threats of terrorism in the sub-region and the tendency of such radical elements to hide behind community thugs to raid mines to finance their onslaught and cause further instability in an already volatile region where Ghana faces significant threat”.
“It is also crucial to note that allowing such disturbing clashes to happen within an electioneering year where the peace, security and stability of the nation is a prime concern; can have dire consequences especially for miscreants looking for the slight flickers of tension to exploit,” it warned.
The management has pinpointed two leading illegal mining figures suspected of orchestrating the attacks and is calling for immediate action from government ministries and traditional authorities to restore security and protect their operations.
They have also reiterated their dedication to corporate responsibility, committing to work closely with state agencies to ensure the safety of their employees and the continued integrity of their mining activities.
