Stormy Incidents At Mining Towns - One Dead, Others Wounded

AGITATION by the youth in some of the mining towns in the Western Region for employment in the mining companies, irrespective of whether they have the skills or not and the reported chieftaincy clashes at Boizan in the Sefwi-speaking area of the region have led to the death of one person through a stray bullet fired by security personnel, whilst several others also got injured.

One hundred and fifty people were later arrested by a combined team of military and police personnel who were detailed to the area but the number was scaled down to 70 after screening.

They would soon be put before court.

Two cars - a landcruiser belonging to a chief and a Pajero, also belonging to the --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.312 / Virus Database: 173 - Release Date: 12/31/2001 district chief executive of Wassa West, were burnt when the agitation reached its peak.

Making this known here at a party organised for the press by the regional secretariat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), as part of the party's one year celebration, the regional minister, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, said in the first case which happened at Boizan, a man who is also claiming to be chief of the town but has been away for some time, allegedly went and hired an articulated truck fully loaded with youth who were armed to the teeth and stormed the town.

They then started shooting indiscriminately and sensing danger the other party who are supporters of the incumbent chief also organised themselves and returned fire.

The attackers then took cover in the truck and using it as a shield fired back and succeeded in overpowering the townfolk, who were trying to stop the attackers.

The man whose name was not disclosed by the regional minister then went ahead to declare himself as the new chief of the town, after the chief and his subjects who were trying to defend the Boizan township had fled.

In the second incident which happened at Hemang, near Prestea in the Wassa West District, Hon. Aidoo said the youth of the town claimed their chief was not doing much to help them to get employment at the mines in the area and subsequently they stormed his palace, but the chief managed to flee to safety.

But this did not stop the angry youth from breaking into his room and bringing out his belongings and burning them.

Aidoo further said the youth then proceeded to a funeral attended by a relative of the chief, together with the DCE, who happens to come from the town, to attack him, but the relative managed to escape.

The youth then poured their venom on the poor DCE by burning down his official Pajero car beyond recognition.

At Mpohor in the Mpohor Wassa East District, the regional minister said a section of the youth have virtually taken over a mining concession belonging to an investor and doing illegal mining there, despite all appeals to stop.

With the reporters listening with rapt attention, the minister said what appears to have broken the camels' back was the burning down of a Landcruiser belonging to the chief of Awodua in yet another chieftaincy dispute in the region.

As at the time of filing this report, the regional minister and his security men were touring the trouble spot to assess the situation.