Nine persons have so far been confirmed dead in Saturday’s violent clash between some illegal miners and the military in Obuasi. 

The miners are reported to have breached a security fence at one of the abandoned concessions of AngloGold Ashanti and were confronted by military personnel on guard.

Four of the eight persons who were rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital continue to remain in critical conditions, after sustaining wounds to their upper and lower limbs.

Four others have however been discharged from the hospital.

Ashanti regional minister-designate, Dr. Frank Amoakohene who visited the Obuasi Government Hospital and families of the deceased and injured persons to commiserate with them, revealed the latest development to the media.

Representing the President, Dr. Amoakohene has also been engaging with other stakeholders as part of investigations to find last solution and peaceful coexistence between residents and the mining company.

Dr. Amoakohene assured of the President’s commitment to ascertaining circumstances leading to the loss of lives and other severe injuries. 

“The security officers are expected to be our friends and to protect us. In a manner where there’s a confrontation between them and the residents, then we need to delve into what really happened for which reason the people who are expected to protect us we are having confrontation whatsoever with them,” he said.

“We don’t want anyone to take the law into their own hands. We are going to pursue the matter to its meaningful conclusion,” he added.

The minister-designate urged the community folk and other miners to remain calm as the government works assiduously to halt the seeming tensions between residents and mining companies.

“We want everyone to remain calm. We don’t want issues where there will be other pockets of issues elsewhere. The President has assured of thorough investigations to ensure we don’t lose lives as painful as this,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police and medical professionals are working to release bodies of Muslims to their families to hold a befitting burial.

Schools in both Obuasi East and Obuasi municipalities remain shut until utter calm is restored to the gold-mining town