Illegal miners on AngloGold Ashanti lands to be forced out Monday

The Minerals Commission has sent a strong word to illegal small scale miners who have taken over AngloGold Ashanti concessions at Obuasi to evacuate or be forced out by Monday, October 10,2016.

AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi mine relinquished a 273 sq.km concession within its Obuasi, Adansi North and Amanise Central Concessions earlier this year with approval from the Minerals Commission.

The government through the Minerals Commission and the Movement Committee have successfully secured most of these places which are gold rich areas to be given to Small Scale miners in the Obuasi Municipality.

The committee after its work has drafted modalities to peacefully migrate all the illegal miners from AngloGold Ashanti concession onto the relinquished lands.

The 273 sq.km land represents about 60 percent of AngloGold Ashanti's original land size of 485 sq.km.

The Minerals Commission says all legitimate means will be used to evacuate them from the area if they failed to move by Monday.

According to the commission, the operation of the illegal miners will be formalised and equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to practice safe mining.

Speaking at the presentation of the report by the Movement Committee, the CEO of the Minerals Commission, Dr. Tony Aubyn said about 100 people have lost their lives through illegal mining and efforts need to be taken to stop the deaths.

The illegal operation has existed for about nine months. About 3,000 small scale miners with over 500 Ghettos are engaged. Dr. Aubyn has also urged politicians, traditional leaders, religious leaders and other community groups to desist from meddling in the evacuation process which has kicked start.