KEY POINTS
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Youth in Manso Tontokrom blocked soldiers from mining site.
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Asanko Mines accused of using military to seize land.
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Protesters demand government action to end conflict.
Hundreds of young people in Manso Tontokrom, a community in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, staged a dramatic protest overnight to prevent military personnel from gaining access to their mining site. The standoff left the community tense but ultimately ended without bloodshed.
Youth block the road to resist entry
Residents set up roadblocks on the town’s main entry route, setting tyres on fire in a display of anger and defiance. When about 50 military personnel arrived at the scene, they were unable to push through the barricades to enter the town.
The youth insist the land belongs to them and that they have mined it for decades. They argue that their operations are not illegal but rather part of a community mining project. Their anger, however, is directed at Asanko Mines, a large-scale operator they accuse of using military force to take control of the land.
Richmond Osei, leader of the youth group, told local media outlet Adom News that the community has seen no benefits from the company’s presence. “This large-scale mining company has been in Manso for years, and we haven’t witnessed any development from them. They’re leaving our youths unemployed and our community dusty. We won’t allow them to take over,” he said.
Calls for government intervention grow
The clash is not the first. Last year, a confrontation between residents and soldiers ended in tragedy, with one community member and two soldiers losing their lives. This time, the youth stressed they were staging a peaceful protest, though their actions included invoking local gods with schnapps, eggs, and fowls to curse those behind the attempted military entry.
According to MyJoyOnline, Osei urged the government to step in and resolve the issue permanently. “We’re calling on the government to intervene and settle this issue once and for all because there’s no way we’re going to give the land to them,” he said.
After a tense face-off, the soldiers eventually withdrew without violence, leaving the community calm. By morning, residents had returned to their normal activities, though uncertainty remains over the future of the contested mining site.
