The Asanko Gold Ghana Limited has debunked claims of deploying military personnel to Tontokrom to intimidate and harass residents in the gold mining community located in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti region.
At a recent press conference by some residents, they had alleged the gold mining company has tasked the soldiers to frustrate them.
But the company is dismissing the allegations citing them as ‘inaccurate’ and ‘misleading’, urging the public to disregard these claims.
In a statement, management of the company noted the military presence in the town is part of ongoing state-mandated security initiatives by the Ghana Chamber of Mines to safeguard licensed mining companies across the country against threats posed by illegal mining operations.
“Illegal mining not only endangers lives and degrades the environment, but also significantly impacts state revenue, discourages legitimate investment, and creates unsafe conditions for both community members and Company personnel.
“In response to these risks, the government through the appropriate security agencies and in partnership with the Ghana Chamber of Mines has rolled out a standardized security intervention across all major legal mining operations in the country,” the statement signed by the Managing Director, Charles Amoah, noted.
According to them, the deployment was sanctioned by the Ghana Armed Forced, in collaboration with the Chamber of Mines – mandated to supervise and coordinate the operations of the mining industry.
It explains a consultative stakeholder dialogue chaired by the Security Councils of both the Amansie West and Amansie South districts was held, concluding on the deployment of the soldiers for the mine’s protection.
The company says the military deployment is not in any way to “punish” residents but rather ensure safety and conducive mining environment.
“It is essential to emphasize that this intervention is not punitive in nature, nor is it intended to intimidate or harass any individuals. On the contrary, its primary goal is to ensure safety, legal compliance, and a conducive environment for sustainable mining,” portion of the statement read.
At the said meeting, the stakeholders, including community leaders and local authorities, were also encouraged to assist in promoting peaceful self-evacuation from unauthorized mining sites.
The company says majority of the illegal miners in other adjoining communities have cooperated as it hopes similar situation could be realized in Tontokrom.
“We are hopeful that the same level of understanding and collaboration will be realized within the Tontokrom concession area,” the statement said.
The company says it remains commitment to respectful and beneficial relationship with all its host communities and is open for communication and genuine partnership to push development in the gold mining town.
