It is emerging that behind the recent smoldering tension between illegal miners and AngloGold Ashanti at Obuasi lies a tale of political neglect, broken trust, and the quest to right the perceived wrongs of the political class.
The gold-rich town of Obuasi, about a week ago, was thrown into a state of wailing and mourning after a clash between about 60 alleged armed illegal miners and the military at AGA led to the death of at least 7 persons. Others also sustained varying degrees of life-threatening gunshot injuries.
The story unfolds that these illegal miners in an attempt to breach the fence of AGA to access their concession to mine engaged in a firefight leading to the gory incident of deaths and injuries.
At the very heart of the recent standoff is a political game. The actions of the illegal miners to gain illegal access to the concession on the day of the incident, Accra Daily News is picking were emboldened by an alleged political promise and the years of neglect by the previous administration.
AngloGold in 2016 ceded about 60 to 70% of its vast concession to the government. According to an insider source at the Ghana Chamber of Mines, AGA agreed to surrender this portion of the concession on the basis of an agreement that the remaining 30 to 40% will remain untouched and free from invasion by illegal miners.
The government of 2017 is alleged to have distributed the concession to persons and entities politically aligned with the government sidelining small-scale miners deemed to be members of the opposition.
Ahead of the 2024 elections, the source continues that a leading member of the then opposition is reported to have promised concessions to illegal miners pledging loyalty to the party. The landslide change in government was therefore seen as an opportunity for them to take turns at the concession leading to the bloody clash.
From AGA’s perspective, the 2016 concession handover was supposed to close the chapter on the constant invasion of their remaining lands. The arrangement, according to the insider, was part of a broader settlement that led to the withdrawal of arbitration proceedings filed at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID.
As part of the deal, the then-NPP government stationed military personnel at the site to protect AngloGold’s remaining concessions – a move that was not extended to other mining operations across the country. The company had made it clear: the remaining 30% of their concession is non-negotiable. Yet, recent clashes suggest that the promises made by politicians have convinced some illegal miners otherwise.
What remains clear is that political actions – and inactions – have created an environment where illegal miners feel justified, even when they are not. The failure of successive administrations to address the root causes of illegal mining, combined with partisan manipulation, has left communities like Obuasi trapped in a cycle of conflict and chaos.
The situation calls for decisive actions to ensure fairness and accountability in the exploitation of the country’s endowed natural resources. Failure on the part of state authorities to address the situation only makes it a ticking time bomb that will only explode sooner or later.
Last Updated on April 13, 2025 by samboad
