Residents of Anwiam, an old mining community in the Obuasi Municipality, are building new structures in preparation towards the comeback of the small scale mining activities which in a way affect the Anwiam economy positively.
Obuasitoday.com, in a working visit to the community saw locals from the Anwiam community and other suburbs of Obuasi building temporal structures for trading purposes due to the operations of the small scale miners.
Low crime rate recorded
Some of the busy workers we spoke to attribute the low crime rate in the area and other surrounding suburbs around to the resurrection of small scale mining activities.
“Boss, first people were being stabbed and chased here for their monies and valuables, but now everyone is busy doing something so there’s no stealing anymore”, he said.
Young men were seen carrying stones believed to be ores to their grinding centers at Ahanosyewodea,a close by community.
According to one of the community leaders who spoke to Obuasitoday.com on condition of anonymity, pleaded with the government to allow them work to feed their families.
“We beg the government not to come sack us again, since we are not working in the Mine’s area anymore, we beg. We only want to feed our families and have something small for our upkeep”, he stated.
Anwiam was one of the vibrant communities before the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine brought in the Military to secure their operational areas when some sections of the Small scale miners intruded into their concession, causing distractions.
The community has been dead economically for close to 2 years and now on the verge of resurrecting