Illegal miners attacks AngloGold driver and supervisor

Obuasi, Aug 14, GNA - A driver of Solkroe Limited, a subsidiary mining company and a supervisor of AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) at Obuasi, were attacked by illegal miners at the Sansu mining area on Thursday morning.

The illegal miners numbering about eight and wielding offensive weapons attacked Mr Paul Amponsah, the driver and Richard Kumenyah, the supervisor, who managed to escape unhurt. However the vehicle Mr Amponsah was driving with registration number; GE 3703 X, was vandalised by the mob. Mr Amponsah told journalists that he and the supervisor were heading to Sansu Shaft when the assailants who were in the middle of the road signalled them to stop.

As soon as they stopped, the mob started accusing them of reporting their activities to the AGA security, which led to the confiscation of their mined quartz.

He said the illegal attempted to pull him from the steering wheel but he managed to speed off amidst hurling of stones that resulted in the damaging of the wind screen of the left door.

Mr Shams Ahmed Dinu, Manager, Asset Protection Department of AGA who condemned the attack, observed that the company is not hostile to the host communities since the corporate entity is pursuing a number of social activities to help improve the lot of the people. He therefore called on the illegal miners to reciprocate this gesture by respecting the human rights of the workers.

Mr Dinu said some of the illegal miners compete with the company workers in underground mines with offensive weapons. Mr Benjamin Annan, Assemblyman for Sansu condemned the act and pledged his support to help identify and arrest the perpetrators. "Since I will not allow AGA to cheat the Sansu community, in the same way I will not sit down and allow such persons to damage company property that will have a negative impact on the general performance of the mine," he said. 15 Aug. 09