Some irate youth of Manfo, Subrisu and Nfante Communities in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region have asked the government of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo to urgent stop the state securities from unnecessarily harassing them at the community mining site at Nfante else he should not dare bring ballot boxes in the catchment areas to seek their votes in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
Mr Akowuah Samuel, a polling station Chairman at Manfo for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Chairman for the community mining site at a press conference last Monday January 15th, 2024 at Nfante explained that, the community mining was officially Commissioned and opened by the sector Minister ,Mireku Dukar, Matina Nyantakye the MCE for the municipality, Chiefs and the people in the area to serve as employment for the youth since 2021.
According to him, the youth are being working at the site as been designated by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources without flouting any of the rules and regulations guiding mining, yet the securities which includes the Police, Military and Forestry guards continued harassing the members at the site.
He disclosed that, not too long ago ,two of their members were shot dead by the forestry guards, and just recently five of the members including the NPP polling station Chairman at Subrisu were also arrested and still in the custody of the security without knowing their whereabout.
He said the military are being harassing them at anytime at the site without any tangible reason, just because they are engaging in a legitimate community mining site as the only source of employment for the youth in the area, yet can not rest in the hands of the state security harassment.
Mr Akowuah stressed that, they are signaling the government and the stakeholders to urgently stop whoever is behind the unlawful attacks on them else they may be compel to stage a non-stop demonstrations against the authorities and policy makers in the municipality, while may not take part of this year’s general elections.
Mr Amoateng Kwabena, the spokesman for the youth in the community mining,also expressed worry over the stress and psychological trauma that the women among them are going through because of being chasing by the military at anytime.
According to him, youth especially women in the area would not get it easy if they are stop from going to the site, because that is their only livelihoods, and unless they venture into immoral lifestyle to make earns meet or taking care of their families.
