The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has recounted how the erstwhile Mahama administration turned down his request to help protect the multi-million dollar Anglogold Ashanti mine at Obuasi.
According to the Overlord of Asanteman, he made a passionate appeal to the government to deploy military personnel to flush out illegal miners(galamseyers) who were busily mining near Anglogold Ashanti’s shaft at Adansi, but the request was ignored.
Speaking at the re-opening of Anglogold Ashanti gold mine in Obuasi on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, Otumfuo Osei Tutu expressed his excitement that the once vibrant gold mine which was closed in 2014 has now bounced back and expected to provide jobs for over 2500 jobs.
“As I stand here today, Mr President, I have mixed feelings. I’m sad and happy at the same time. I’m excited that the once collapsed Obuasi mine has been revived, I’m sad because all of us agrred that the mine was out of business and had to be shut down. About four or five years ago I had a visit from my nephew and white partners of Anglogold who told me the mine had to be closed down and look at a way of reviving. It was true the mine was recording loses and also had illegal miners (galamsey) working on its concession and so that made matters worse.
He added: “It got to a time, I was informed that galamseyers had stormed the Adansi shaft which has resulted in flooding of the area, I called the government of the day requesting for soldiers to be sent into the area to flush out the galamseyers but the government told me they can’t grant my request and send soldiers to shoot people as it happened in South Africa. It got to a time I was told that the mine will be closed down with the keys given to me and be sold for $1. I pleaded with them to stop as there’ll be better times where the mines will be revived.
“At a point in time, I asked that a land is given to the galamseyers so that they don’t go close to where the mine is located to destroy it because it will bounce back one day. We did all that but things didn’t work out, fortunately upon the assumption of power of President Akufo Addo 2017, lots of serious work began to revive the mine and today we’re commissioning it” Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted.
President Akufo-Addo, re-opened the mine which had been effectively closed since 2014, in fulfilment of a campaign pledge he made to the people of Obuasi on 15th July, 2016, in the run-up to the 2016 general elections.
Addressing the Chiefs and people of Obuasi, on Tuesday, 22nd January, 2019, President Akufo-Addo noted that upon his assumption of office, a series of discussions and negotiations took place, the end-result being the re-development project of the Obuasi mine.
“In order to help Anglogold Ashanti secure the needed investment for this project, Government had to provide a number of fiscal incentives, and guarantee the stability of the project against changes in the legal environment, especially in the early years of the mine’s operations,” he said.
The President continued, “It is expected that all the agreements reached, including the vigorous implementation of domestic content policy, will be scrupulously honoured and performed. The initial investment in the redevelopment project is $881 million, with a total investment of $1.6 billion projected for the entire 22-year life of the mine. The whole investment package has been approved by Parliament.”
With an estimated two thousand, five hundred (2,500) jobs to be created, he was confident that Obuasi, a once vibrant town, will be brought back to life again, with an improvement in the living circumstances of its residents.
