Kumasi: Police Stops Miners’ Demo

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander COP Ken Yeboah has instructed the small scale miners protesting against the Akufo-Addo’s government to go call off their planned demonstration.

The miners are hitting at government for refusing to provide them alternative jobs to improve their living conditions after it placed a six-month ban on their operations.

Speaking on Abusua FM, he explained that they do not have enough police officers to protect the large number of prospective protestors.

He discounted that the order has a political undertone saying they are stopping today’s demonstration saying there is the tendency that another group could counter the demonstration which requires extra protection.

‘I told them the timing was not appropriate so they should postpone it, so that we negotiate on a better date. Yesterday I learnt they met my absence, so I called them to find out their numbers and they said they will expect about 5,000 people. I told them that the whole region, our personnel is not up to this number. They told me they have made some expenses on the demonstration and cannot postpone it. They have to go home,’ he explained.

Some members of the group who were traveling from Obuasi and its environs to join their counterparts who have converged at Gyamfua Park at Asokwa-Kumasi were prevented by the police at the various barriers.

The frustrated members who have gathered at Asokwa clad in red attire are confused as to whether to continue their demonstration or return home.

They were instructed on Monday to call off the demonstration, after serving the Police a month notice to have the demonstration at the Heroes park.

Some of the miners were leaving the park as at the time of filing this report.