Two policemen were seriously wounded when the youth of Teleku-Bokazo and Anwia in the Nzema East District of the Western Region went on rampage last Sunday and vented their spleen on employees of a mining company.

The po1icemen, Constable Augustine Opoku-Agyeman and L/Cpl Appiah, both of the Mobile Force Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Takoradi, sustained machete wounds and were admitted to the Axim Government Hospital. Lance Corporal Appiah has since been discharged.

The rampaging youth vandalized the property of Adamus Resources Limited, a gold prospecting company, and reportedly seized two AK 47 assault rifles loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition each.

The protest, according to sources, was to prevent the company from engaging in surface mining, as well as resettling the inhabitants, who feared that they might lose their identity and also have their water bodies polluted.

Vehicles belonging to the company and the Nzema East District Assembly were also vandalized, while core samples from the prospecting and water pumps were carried away in the confusion.

Officials of the company were said to have held a series of meetings on its operations with 14 selected communities, except the two (Teleku-Bokazo and Anwia).

They included Duale, Akango, Salman, Aluku, Kikam, Akropong, Nvuama, Nvenlesolo, Bomoakpole, Avrebo and Adelekazo.

According to the Project Manager of Adamus Resources, Mr Simon E. Meadows-Smith, since the arrival of the company its officials had met with the communities the company had identified for prospecting.

"We have not even been given the license to mine yet. We are only prospecting and it is the outcome of the prospecting that will determine if it will be economically viable to mine," he added.

Asked if the company has plans of resettling the people of Teleku-Bokazo and Anwia, Mr Meadows said of the 14 communities that had been selected for prospecting, only Salma would have its inhabitants resettled.

He was, therefore, surprised that the people were saying that the company wanted to resettle them take over their town. The Community Relations Manager, Mr Patrick Ampong, who made available minutes of various meetings, as well as the letters sent to communities for meetings, said the main aim of the company was to ensure that the majority of the people who would work for the mines would come from the communities.

"As a result, we have started a programme to train the youth in various technical areas that will be useful for the company and benefit the communities," he said.

Meanwhile, the farmers’ group at Teleku-Bokazo has, in a letter signed by Mr Joseph S Anwanzi, called on the group calling itself the Youth and Concerned Citizens of Teleku-Bokazo to halt the harassment of workers of Adamus Resources.

"We want to make it clear to you that you are not our financiers and, therefore, you have no right to fight on our behalf," the letter said.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested 18 people to assist in investigations into the acts of vandalism.

Source: Daily Graphic