Former Deputy Minister of Defence, Kofi Amankwa Manu, believes the killing of nine in the Obuasi Mine clash could have been avoided if some politicians avoided certain utterances during the 2024 electioneering.

According to him, “The undertone of everything happening is politics just from the 2024 elections”.

“When you look at what is going on till now, politicians and even media personalities like Captain Smart igniting some sort of anger in people to go there and forcefully mine. Lives have been lost now,” he observed.

• Read also: Obuasi clash update: 9 confirmed dead, 4 still in critical conditions, others discharged

In an interview with Nhyira FM’s Nana Jantuah on the “Kuro Yi Mu Nsem” show, he stated “It’s really sad that people have lost their lives. You can see that most of these men that have lost their lives are breadwinners and important people of their families.”

The Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency noted that AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) as a private entity that pays taxes to the government must be respected in its operations.

“We need to remember that AGA is not in Obuasi on their own free will. And they are working with laws. And it’s the government who has given them a concession to mine there. So if even anything, they should be able to sit down and come to a consensus,” he said.

Mr Manu stated that it is unfortunate that soldiers were also shot in the Obuasi Mine clash.

“Soldiers were also shot, so if it were only chisel and hammer they sent there then who shot at the soldiers? Soldiers are our friends… the difference between us is just the uniform. When they remove their uniform they’re just like that. They are very nice people. It’ll be strange for a soldier to see you and just shoot at you for no reason,” he said.

The former Deputy Minister for Defence believes the tragedy could have been avoided.

“Being hungry is not an excuse to break into AGA to mine. If that’s the case then isn’t a thief also justified because he’s hungry? He’s not. So let’s work with the law.

“I will never say what has happened is good because it is not. But why should we allow something like this happen in the first place? We cannot restore the lives of the people who are dead and people will be amputated and live with that for the rest of their lives. Who will feed their families now,” he quizzed.

He expressed his condolences to the families who have lost relatives.