Weeks after a violent clash between the youth of Mpatuam and soldiers guarding Asanko Mine, the community remains under tension and grief, as illegal miners continue to invade concessions.
The ongoing incursions by the local miners are raising fears of a looming fresh conflict, as ancillary mining companies recount the financial ruin in the last clash.
The clash at Mpatuam in the Amansie West District began after residents accused Asanko Mines’ security of killing an illegal miner for invading the company’s concession.
Tension rose when family of the deceased rejected the body, and youth in the community blocked roads in protest.
On September 9, 2025, an altercation broke out between the agitated residents and military personnel stationed at the site where the Aboabo Assembly Member, Samuel Danquah, died, and two others severely injured.
One of the injured victims remains in hospital, struggling to recover from gunshot wounds.
Kofi Nyarko, a worker at BLOJ, is one of the victims still receiving treatment.
According to him ‘I nearly lost my life during the clash. The youth caught me inside the company vehicle. They came with weapons and nearly set the bus ablaze. They told me that they came in for workers of Asanko for killing an illegal miner.”
But despite heavy military presence, some local miners continue to creep into Asanko Mines’ concession, heightening fears of renewed clashes.
Residents say galamsey operators have taken advantage of the chaos to invade mining concessions, worsening the already fragile security situation.
‘We are scared of what can happen next because the miners continue to invade Asanko’s concession.”
Meanwhile, mining companies operating in the Esaase enclave of Asanko Mines, including Rabotec Ghana Limited are counting their losses in the aftermath of the violence.
Other companies like AKL Company Limited, Zen Ghana Limited, Bloj Company Limited, and GTS Ghana Limited have also lost millions as buses and other valuable equipment were destroyed.
Company officials disclosed that vehicles and other property running into millions of cedis were vandalized during the unrest.
George Japka is the human resource manager of AKL. He explains the rate of destruction on the companies.
‘The bus has been destroyed completely. They set fire on it and a few places got burnt. We have one truck and our excavator also got spoilt. They took some of the controls and spoilt some of the glasses” he said.
According to Mr. Jakpa, the incident has heavily affected the operations of the subsidiary companies working under Asanko.
‘Based on that we are unable to operate from the community to take the haulage exercise and as a result of that, we conveyed some of our people to the other site. We are lodging at a hotel in the nearby town to operate with the few machines available” he added.
The continuing invasion of illegal miners on lands belonging to Asanko Mines has been a cause of worry.
Source: Nana Boakye Yiadom
