Constituent Slaps NPP MP

The life of the NPP Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni Valley, Albert Kweku Obbin is in danger in his own constituency. About a fortnight ago, a constituent slapped him at a meeting in Prestea. The MP was allegedly slapped for what was described as his dangerous and irresponsible effusions, which the youth of Prestea see as tantamount to their perpetual doom.

But as if his woes were over, last Tuesday, the MP was nearly lynched by angry youth of Prestea for what they said was MP Obbin’s “collusion with the management of Bogosu Gold Limited (BGL) to take over Prestea mines”. It took the combined efforts of armed police and military to avert otherwise what would have been a nasty incident.

The police had to whisk the MP away in his official vehicle under heavy security guard to an undisclosed destination. The MP was at Prestea to attend a Public Hearing organized by the Environmental Protection Agency to gather public opinion on the intended surface mining operation by BGL at Prestea on the need to agree to take over and to iron out differences on the matter as well.

The angry youth hooted spontaneously at the MP when he was introduced at the public hearing while the others cursed him.

The issue of the take over of the assets and the mines operated by the defunct Prestea Gold Resources Limited (PGR) has generated a lot of controversy with the youth, mostly former workers of PGR bracing themselves for confrontation with anybody who is in favour of the PGR-BGL deal.

They contend that it is due to the deal that most of them are jobless. They are also of the view that surface mining, apart from its disastrous environmental consequences is not viable as underground mining.

Mr Obbin could not be located for his comments.