Tension erupted in Sabromum in the Ahafo Ano South East District of the Ashanti Region, as enraged youth reportedly set fire to a flatbed truck believed to be transporting an excavator to an illegal mining site in the community.
According to a report by Otec FM, the residents organized a blockade at the outskirts of the community and set ablaze the vehicle with registration number GE-6337-19 in the early hours of Monday, January 15, 2024, upon its return from the alleged illegal mining site. Fortunately, the truck driver managed to escape unharmed, as witnessed by onlookers.
The irate action taken by the residents is said to be in response to what they perceive as the reprehensible activities of illegal miners in their community. OTEC News reporter Jacob Agyenim Boateng, upon investigation, discovered that some of the agitated youth were fed up with the destructive impact of illegal mining in the area, leading them to take decisive action.
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The aggrieved residents claim that the illegal miners have caused extensive damage to nearly all the rivers in the community, making it challenging for them to access clean and portable water for their daily activities. They argued that the rivers, which serve as a crucial source of fresh water for the farming community, are on the brink of extinction if immediate measures are not taken.
“The unregulated operation by the miners has polluted the water source, caused deep environmental damages, pushed farmers away from farmlands, threatening our existence,” voiced a concerned farmer who chose to remain anonymous when speaking to OTEC News.
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The incident underscores the growing frustration and environmental concerns arising from illegal mining activities, prompting local residents to take matters into their own hands as they strive to protect their community’s natural resources and way of life.
