According to reports, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, some representatives of the Forestry Commission’s Kyebi Division burned four excavators that were reportedly mining inside the Atewa Forest boundary at Obuoho Fante near Anum Apapamu in the Eastern Region’s Ayensuano District.
The local assemblyman denied that the concession owner was mining inside the buffer when officials visited the area Thursday morning at around nine a.m. as part of their regular monitoring, according to sources.
After talking on the phone, the officials proceeded to set fire to the four excavators and fled to avoid being attacked by the gathered community members.
The Assembly Member for Anum Apapamu North Adu- Gyamfi Douglas spoke to Channel One News, stating, “The youth are worried and aggrieved because this manpower mining is their only means of survival there are no jobs here, so if it has happened like this and mining activities are going to stop at this time they won’t be happy.”
The Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Awatey who rushed to the community to calm nerves has sanctioned immediate investigations into the incident.
According to the Minister, the Regional Security Council which recently met to strategize on how to clamp down on activities of illegal miners did not sanction the burning of excavators.
“We want the government to investigate this so that we know who was behind it and how it happened. Also sympathize with you, so calm down and leave the scene after this place because your life is important to us. We do not want any clash after this so that we can focus on the issue to get the root cause of it.” she assured.
