Blood and Gold: Mpatuam Community Says Enough to Asanko Mines
Over 5,000 angry youth poured onto the streets of Mpatuam in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region on Thursday, calling for the immediate departure of Asanko Gold Mines from their community.
The massive protest was triggered by the killing of Hon. Sampson Dankwah, Assembly Member for Aboabo-Tetekaaso, and another resident, allegedly by soldiers attached to the mining company. The deaths have sparked deep outrage and heightened tensions in the mining enclave.
Clad in red and black, the demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as “Asanko Must Go,” “Free Small-Scale Mining,” “We Don’t Want Fight,” “Peace, Not War,” and “Justice for Manso.”
According to the protesters, they can no longer coexist with the mining firm, accusing Asanko of inhumane practices and linking its operations to repeated instances of military brutality.
The demonstration coincided with a visit by Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who was accompanied by regional security chiefs to commiserate with the grieving community.
The unrest stems from a confrontation between residents and soldiers deployed by the company, which escalated into violence and left two people dead. Community leaders say the incident has deepened existing frustrations over the environmental and social impacts of large-scale mining in the area.
The youth vowed to continue their resistance until Asanko leaves Mpatuam, insisting that justice must be served for the victims.
The Ashanti Regional Minister has urged calm while assuring residents that their grievances will be relayed to the appropriate authorities for redress.
