2 dead, 2 injured in clash between forestry officials, miners at Mfante

Two persons have been reportedly shot dead while two others sustained injuries following an alleged clash between forestry officers and miners at Mfante near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region.

The incident occurred at a community mining site in the area on November 10, when forestry officers allegedly stormed the area and after a clash ensued, two of the persons guarding the site were shot dead.

Two of the miners also sus­tained injuries and are receiving treatment at the Tepa Government Hospital.

The government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources launched the community mining scheme at Mfante in 2021 which was projected to create jobs for some 2000 persons in the area.

However, there have reportedly been misunderstandings between forestry officers and the miners in recent years over the mining activi­ties in the area.

Forestry officers have claimed that the said area is within the for­estry zone and that the miners do not have legal documents supporting their assertion that the place has been earmarked for community mining. It is on the back of this that after forestry officers stormed the site on Friday, a clash ensued which led to the fatalities

The Assembly Member of the Mfante Electoral Area, Abu Issah who confirmed the incident to the media, said the residents are living in fear following the incident, and as such many of them have started fleeing the area.

He is thus calling on the government to bring finality to the issue by providing the necessary documentation on the community mining scheme in the area.

Police are currently investigating the incident as the bereaved family is calling for justice to be served in the matter.