Over 150 heavily armed security personnel have been deployed to Akyem Tumfa in the Atiwa District of the Eastern region after the youth of the area threatened to attack and destroy equipment of a gold mining company, DAILY GUIDE has gathered.

The residents of Akyem Tumfa vowed some weeks ago to deal with STEP Mining Company, which was mining gold in the area.

The angry residents noted that they would not allow any mining firm to destroy their cocoa farms in the name of prospecting for gold.

When DAILY GUIDE visited the town last Thursday, it observed that schools and shops had been closed down due to the brutality of the security personnel, who had mounted several checkpoints.

The residents further accused their chief, Barima Osei Adom III and his elders of taking bribes and conspiring with the Eastern Regional Minister to allow the gold miners to invade their land.

On Wednesday night, the angry youth vandalized the chief’s palace, which forced him to run from the town.

The paper gathered that a student who was assaulted by the police, is currently on admission at the Akyem Abromsu Health Center.

The development has caused fear and panic among the residents who have started relocating to nearby villages to avoid trouble.

Most of the youth, the paper gathered, were currently hiding in the bush due to the intensified patrol by the security officers.

The paper learnt that the STEP Mining Company had cleared some of the sites to mine gold.

The Atiwa District Chief Executive, Emmanuel Atta Twum is expected to hold an emergency meeting with some selected leaders of the Tumfa youth on Monday at his residence at Kwabeng, the district capital to take further action on the matter.

Minister Reactions

Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Minister, Antwi Boasiako, told Peace Fm, an Accra-based radio station that the police were deployed to the town after the youth prevented the legally registered mining company from working on the land.

He said the youth fear their illegal mining activities would be affected if the mining company starts its operations.