By Emmanuel Agyemfra Boateng
“In the face of impossible odds, people who love this Country can change it”-Barack Obama
A year ago, AngloGold Ashanti,Obuasi Mine laid off most of its workers and started maintenance on the Mine to suit current Mining conditions, which they termed the exercise as Restructuring. The Mine, according to officials needed to go through a lot of maintenance after mining for over 100 years without any, and resurface after 24 months to do full operations.
Obuasi is in the Mine and the Mine is in Obuasi, so after this exercise in the Mine, the Economy of Obuasi haven’t being the same as it used to be. Businesses are not booming as it used to be, most of the Miners who took their Redundancy packages left Obuasi to wherever that suites them without setting up businesses that would’ve sustained the Youth.
Not too long ago,I listened to Nana Ampofo Berkoe the Sustainability Manager of the Obuasi Mine on Shaft fm,a local Radio station in Obuasi calling on all stakeholders to help the Mine combat crime in their operational sites.Nana Ampofo Berkoe was of the view that the Mine is under serious attack from some recalcitrant youths who always break into the Mine at night.
Just recently, security men around the Malaria Control Head office and the Adansi Shaft arrested some suspected youths who breaked into the Mine from nowhere to steal properties belonging to the Mine.I am a youth and also feels the heat of unemployment and difficulty in setting up your business but we can’t justify the recent security breaches meted against the Mine! this same Mine most youths are praying to work in.
The current security situation in Obuasi is not only against the Mine but the whole Municipality. There are series of theft cases going on in almost all the suburbs in the Obuasi Municipality every blessed day.The Kamara Dini road or stadium road is now a no go area after 10pm even though there are street lights on the road and atimes a Police post at the Maclean junction.
Obuasi can’t be dead because the mine is not in full opeartions!that mindset should be erased. The Youth in Obuasi can prosper without working in the mine or indulging in illegalities. We shouldn’t make our Obuasi look scary outside.
The current poor state of security in the Municipality can scare investors not only for the Mine but investors in any other business sector trying to come revive the economy of Obuasi.
Attacks or theft in the Mine won’t create jobs for the youth and if anyone is caught, the Judge or Magistrate wouldn’t spare you because you are unemployed.
In the fight against the current security situation, the onus lies on every well meaning citizen of Obuasi to help the Police and AngloGold Ashanti fight against crime.
AngloGold Ashanti,Obuasi Mine should as a matter of urgency, provide the Obuasi Police command with some of their unused pickups to help in their patrols in the Municipality.
The Mine should try and liaise with Civil Society groups in organizing Entrepreneurship workshops for the Youth in Obuasi and I recommend Youth Alliance for Development who are well connected to the Youth.
Private security companies contracted by the Mine should do well to pay their officers the right salary to help build their commitment and dedication to the work, some of these young guys are not properly motivated and this goes a long way to weaken security in the Mine.
I will also call on theMedia, Local Fellowship of Churches, Muslim Community and civil society groups to help in fighting crime in the Municipality by using their platforms.
The Municipal Security Council should please sit up and act on their words. We need less talk more action.
AngloGold Ashanti have slogan “Boa me na me mmoa wo”
LONG LIVE OBUASI….LONG LIVE THE YOUTH…..LONG LIVE GHANA
You can contact the writer on agyenfra43@gmail.com,0249542342/0508609109
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