The youth of Teleku-Bokazo and Anwia who went on rampage over the mining activities of Adamus Resources Limited are reported to have adopted guerrilla tactics to outwit the police.

Most of them, now taking refuge in the bush to escape arrest, are said to come out in the night to set fire to some houses and break into stores, and then retreat.

This came to light when the Western Regional Minister, Mr A.E. Amoah, and his deputy, Mr Kwasi Blay, members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembele, Mr Freddie Blay, visited the two towns to .assess the situation and find an amicable solution to the problem.

Briefing the delegation, the Chief of Teleku-Bokazo, Nana Afful Kwaw II, said the Adubre mining concession had been granted for prospecting since 1936.

He said when information went round that Adamus Resources Limited was ready to start gold prospecting some weeks ago, the youth started wearing red bands and accused the chiefs that they had collected money from the company.

He said since then peace had not returned to the area.

The Chief of Anwia, Nana Essumali Kpayili IV, said prospecting for gold in the concession started in 1988 by a white geologist, adding that those who claimed they had not heard about it were liars.
“All the people have known about the mining for some time now," he added.

He said his life had been threatened by the youth of the town for a long time and that he had reported that to the police.

Mr Amoah noted that if the youth were against surface mining, they also could not do small-scale mining.

He explained that Adamus had not decided whether it was going to do surface mining or not, since it was only prospecting.

He said the REGSEC was ready to sit down with anybody or group to solve all problems emanating from the mining and warned those on rampage to stop, since the law would deal drastically with any¬one caught.

He urged the people to remain calm and not to fear anything.
He said the government would not sit down unconcerned for some people to destroy others' property.

Mr Blay called on the chiefs and opinion leaders in the area to help bring about peace.

He also urged the chiefs to sit down with the youth to solve all the problems associated with mining activities in the area.
The Community Development Manager of Adamus Resources Limited, Mr Patrick Ampong, said the company's property worth about $100,000 was destroyed in the rioting.

Meanwhile, 22 people suspected to be involved in the rioting have been arrested by the police.

Eighteen out of those arrested have appeared before the Sekondi Magistrate Court and have been remanded in prison custody.
They are Abusuapanyin Nyame Blay, Tufohene, Kwabena Badu, Abusuapanyin Nneaku Nida, Ben Essien, Nusia Kofi Mama, Joseph Ackah and James Donkor.

Others are Francis Tweneboah, Francis Asankulu, John Nketsia, Kweku Tweneboah, Daniel Alad¬je, Richard Kwesi and Philip Enu.
The rest are John Quison, Emmanuel Mensah, Miss Ackah Ekuba and Azumah Abekah.

The youth of Teleku-Bokazo and Anwia in the Nzema East District in the Western Region last Sunday went on rampage and vented their spleen on employees of Adamus Resources Limited.

In the process, two policemen, Constable Augustine Opoku-Agyeman and Lance Corporal 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.

The protest 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.


Source: Daily Graphic