Manso Nyankomase Small-Scale Miners Allege Harassment And Extortion By Military Supervising Reclamation Exercise
Some licensed miners who are members of the National Concerned Small Scale Miners Association at Manso Nyankomase in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region are alleging harassment and extortion by some military officers deployed to the area to supervise an ongoing reclamation exercise.
The military officers were deployed to the community in October this year after residents resisted a reclamation exercise being carried out by an individual contracted by the government to restore destroyed lands.
This resistance resulted in a confrontation between residents and the military officers, leaving five people injured.
The residents later staged another protest to register their displeasure over the alleged brutalities and to demand accountability from the authorities.
Following the intervention of authorities, calm returned to the area; however, the military officers remained stationed in the community.
Some small-scale miners are now raising fresh concerns over what they describe as the military taking advantage of the reclamation exercise to harass licensed miners at their various mining sites.
The miners also claimed that the military officers demand money from them, and that any refusal or resistance results in beatings and attacks.
Some of the affected miners are still nursing the injuries they have sustained following the alleged military brutality.
The miners have warned the military to carry out their operations within the confines of the law or face resistance against any attempt to oppress and harass them.
They further alleged that military officers confiscate their equipment, which is not handed over to the police but rather kept at the reclamation site.
Members of the National Concerned Small Scale Miners Association in the Amansie South District, in a statement, condemned the development and called for immediate intervention by the Ghana Armed Forces and the Military High Command to investigate the matter.
The group also called on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to investigate the claims and take steps to ensure that the right thing is done.
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