The Ghana Police Service has stepped in to prevent a potentially violent confrontation between youth from four communities in the Assin North District and suspected illegal miners accused of destroying the environment.
Tensions flared in Assin Larteh, Nyameyedru, Praho, and Tetre-Nkwanta after residents mounted a roadblock on the main route to Assin Larteh, using sticks, clubs, and wooden benches to obstruct traffic in protest against ongoing illegal mining activities.
The youth had vowed to resist what they described as the continued pollution of water bodies and destruction of farmlands by the miners.
DCOP Abraham Acquaye, Assin North District Police Commander, said his office received intelligence about the blockade and swiftly deployed personnel to the scene to forestall any violent clashes. He engaged leaders of the protesting groups and later took statements from key individuals to support ongoing investigations.
Residents of Larteh, in interviews, expressed frustration over what they said was severe environmental degradation caused by illegal mining. They cited contamination of water sources, damage to farmlands, and loss of livelihoods as reasons for their action, claiming that previous appeals to authorities had not yielded results.
In a further effort to maintain calm, police officers visited sections of the Pra River, where they found some miners reportedly operating in the middle of the river. Warning shots were fired to disperse the miners, and their activities were halted pending further investigations.
Police say efforts are ongoing to sustain peace in the affected communities while addressing concerns over illegal mining and environmental destruction.
