Illegal miners set Golden Star Wassa Mine on fire

Mining equipment worth millions of Ghana cedis belonging to Golden Star Resources has been destroyed by illegal miners.

Reports indicate that armed illegal miners on Thursday stormed the mining site and the administration of the company at Ningo and Subriso in the Western Region setting ablaze almost all the mining equipment including dozers, vehicles, and safety items and even attempting to burn the company’s gold processing plant.

They later took hostage of the police commander who led a team to prevent the illegal miners from working on the concession of the company.

Speaking on the issue, the Assemblyman for the area Frank Justin Afful said the illegal miners in question do not hail from the town but are from the 3 northern regions.

He explained that the attack was in reaction to the death of one of their colleague who was shot by the police at the site to drive them away from the place.

He added that the police were outnumbered by the more than 200 miners and their only option was to defend themselves by shooting which led to the death of one of the miners.

He said the illegal miners later armed themselves and carried the body to the administration of the company and began vandalising the place.

He said they have all fled the place after the incident and they are yet to meet the leadership of the company.

He added that the company has employed a lot of the indigenes and this incident will dent the good relationship the company has with the communities though none of the town folks was involved.