LEG condemns Newmont Ahafo brutalities

A devastating pattern of police brutality has emerged at the Newmont Gold Mine in Ntotroso, Ahafo Region, leaving local residents in a state of terror. The latest incident, which occurred on Thursday dawn, resulted in the deaths of three local residents who were allegedly shot by police while attempting to collect gold waste from the mine's waste heap.

According to eyewitnesses, the victims were chased by police from the waste heap and shot in a nearby bush, far from the Newmont site. This contradicts claims by the police that the victims were armed thieves attempting to steal valuable equipment and Gold.

Richard Adjei-Poku, Executive Director of the local NGO, LEG (Livelihood and Environment Ghana). which focuses on environmental and human rights advocacy not-for-profit and non-governmental organization established in 2004 to promote community rights, environmental justice and sustainable livelihood for marginalized including women, youth and persons with disability,they also engage with policy makers and duty bearers on issues around mineral governance and mineral policy,has spoken out against the police brutality, stating that the company's security personnel have a history of using excessive force against local residents. "This is not an isolated incident," he said. "They have recorded numerous cases of police brutality at the Newmont mine site."

Adjei-Poku's claims have exposed a culture of impunity among Newmont's security personnel, who appear to be operating above the law. "The police and security personnel at the mine site believe they are above the law," he said. "They have no regard for human life."

The repeated incidents of police brutality have created a climate of fear among local residents, who are now too afraid to venture near the mine site. "We are living in fear," said one local resident. Some of the area guys who came to meet the dead bodies lying down made profound statements"We don't know when the police will strike again and how can be killing innocent people?"

In an engagement with the community,they established that there are CCTV cameras around the company's, that they are challenging ghana police service to bring evidence if the boys were near the gold room as the police claimed.

Mr.Adjei-Poku also pleading with the government not to remain silent on this case.

In a shocking revelation, Adjei-Poku claimed that many local chiefs and opinion leaders have been compromised by the company, receiving contracts and other benefits from them and that silence them from speaking out against the brutality. "They are more interested in protecting their contracts than in protecting the lives of their people," he said.

Adjei-Poku is demanding accountability from the company and the government, he is calling for an immediate investigation into the incidents of police brutality. "We want justice for the victims and their families," he said. "We want the perpetrators to be held accountable for their actions."

Adjei-Poku is also urging the international community to intervene, calling on human rights organizations and foreign governments to put pressure on the Ghanaian government to take their necessary action to deal with the matter. "We need the international community to help us bring an end to this culture of impunity," he said.

The repeated incidents of police brutality at the Newmont Gold Mine have tarnished the company's reputation, raising questions about its commitment to human rights and corporate social responsibility. As the company faces mounting criticism and back slash from residents it remains to be seen as whether or not concrete step will be put in place to stop all the barbaric acts.

Story By Azaglo Michael