The Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has begun full-scale investigations into the circumstances that led to clashes between residents at Ntobroso in Atwima Mponua District and some military officers with the anti-galamsey task force.
The clashes occurred on Wednesday morning after houses of some of the residents were torched in an attempt by the military officers to burn some parked excavators.
According to the residents, the soldiers burnt the excavators right near houses, provoking the clashes.
But addressing journalists on Thursday, February 24, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) GAF’s Central Command, Brigadier-General Joseph Aphour, described the situation as unfortunate as the operation of the soldiers was successful.
He said the closed-by house was used by the illegal miners as fuel storage for the excavators.
“This happened because though the house was quite far from the burning excavators, the fuel spillage from the house to the excavators also caught fire, causing the fire to travel to the house,” Brigadier-General Aphour explained.
“Fortunately enough, no lives were lost.”
He noted that efforts by personnel of GAF to ensure that the fire does not spread to other house were thwarted because the residents attacked them with stones and projectiles to the extent that even the fire tenders brought in from Nkawie were vandalised.
“I will like to assure you that investigations will be conducted immediately to ascertain the circumstances that led to this unfortunate incident.”
He impressed upon the media to be cautious in their reportage as the situation at hand and, by extension, galamsey is seeking to undermine the country’s security.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana