The police have arrested 52 illegal miners for unlawfully entering a mining shaft belonging to AngloGold Ashanti.

These are part of those who willingly came out of the mine and handed themselves to the police.

This follows reports that about 300 illegal miners had been trapped in one of the shafts at Anwiam in the Obuasi East District of the Ashanti Region.

The miners reportedly entered the underground shaft in search of gold deposits but were unable to come out after all exit routes were closed.

Speaking on Newsnight on JoyFM, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Obuasi East, Faustina Amissah confirmed the arrest of these illegal miners.

She said the other illegal miners did not want to come out for fear of being arrested by the police.

“They [Illegal miners] have decided to stay. They say they will not come out for the fear that when they come out they would be arrested and indeed when they come they will be arrested,” she noted.

The DCE explained that when the illegal miners come out they are taken to the station to put down their statements after which they are granted bail.

According to her, none of the miners was trapped. She explained that the access route they used to enter the mine was blocked, thereby compelling them to use the legal exit where people were stationed.

Responding to questions about how she dealt with the tension from members of the community, she said “upon engagement, we have calmed them down. Those that were brought out first gave their statements and they have been bailed to go home so the tension is now down. It is not as it was in the morning" she stressed.

Again, the DCE said her outfit is making efforts to bridge gap in terms of disagreements between AngloGold Ashanti and members of the community to avert such incidents.