Some residents of Gbane in the Upper East region have revealed to a1radioonline.com that although the mining activities of the Chinese in the area affects them adversely, they cannot complain because they will be victimized.
Five people lost their lives from an explosion of toxic chemicals at a mining site in Gbane on Friday; a disaster people in the community have described as “a usual ordeal”.
“They have dug a tunnel through the land from their office and built a funnel-like structure in the middle of Obuasi where the poisonous smoke passes into the community after their chemicals have been exploded. So this poisonous gasses are inhaled by the residents and could have a negative effect on the health of the people,” a resident of Gbane called Mr. Asamoah told a1radioonline.com.
Another resident of the area mentioned their houses are time bombs because the frequent blasting on the part of the Shanxii mining company has developed deep-seated cracks in their houses and they always live with the fear that their houses may collapse on them.
“Because of the blasting, our houses have developed deep cracks and these cracks have weakened the buildings so anytime we are in our rooms, we are afraid that our house will fall on us because they are weak now. We cannot sleep overdose because when you sleep overdose, your building can break and fall on you. It is a problem here but we cannot do anything about it because we are also settlers.”
Asked whether the Assemblyman and other opinion leaders were aware of their plight, he mentioned that “you dare not complain because we ourselves we are strangers so we have to keep quiet and suffer. Even as I am talking right now, if it comes on television right now, I will be victimised. The activities of these Chinese Miners is alarming but who are you to go and complain to the Chief. They have the strength more than you so if you go and complain, you will rather suffer.
When the Assemblyman for the area was called on the issue, he indicated that he could not comment on the issue because he was in a crunch meeting with the Police as investigations into the death of some miners have already started.
Five miners lost their lives in the early hours of Friday, as a result of the explosion of some toxic chemicals by the Shanxii Mining company. However, Public Relations Officer of the Chinese mining firm, Maxwell Wooma, has strongly denied any links between the company’s operational area and where the disaster struck.
By: Offei-Akoto Ayeh/a1radioonline.com/Ghana
