Youth and miners at Obuoho, a community near Anum Apapam in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern have protested against the unfortunate burning of 4 excavators at a small-scale mining site.
The protestors said the destruction by the Forestry Commission taskforce, has since rendered most of the youth in the area jobless and taken away their livelihoods and that of their dependants as well, urging the government to intervene to help address the situation.
The Assembly member for the area, Adu Gyemfi Douglas explained that the forestry commission taskforce indeed came to the site to ascertain if the mining activities were within the buffer zone and left after cordial interactions, only to realize a few hours later that, four excavators on the site had been set alight.
According to him, the blaze destroyed the machines, leading to the indefinite suspension of mining operations. Mr Adu Gyemfi Douglas said the youth in the area depend on mining for survival, and the current situation was derailing the local economy. He, however, called for a full probe into what led to the unfortunate actions of the Forestry Commission task force.
Some miners also explained that burning the excavators has increased youth unemployment, thereby describing the Forestry Commission’s action as wickedness, and calling on the government to bring the perpetrators to book.
