Residents of Sanso have accused their Chief, Katakyie Bawuah Okyere Darko I of receiving a resettlement claim amount of $330,000 from AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine which was meant to be shared among the commuters of Sanso to aid in their relocation.
Inhabitants cladding in red and black attire today demonstrated at Sanso, a community in the Obuasi Municipal of the Ashanti Region and a stool land belonging to Edubiase traditional council, to voice out their grievances.
Addressing the media, the spokesperson for the Community, Mr. Samuel Oduro, said; three major factors have made it necessary for the relocation of the Sanso community;
- The continued impacts of mining on the Sanso community given it extremely close proximity to the mine’s operational area which include the disused Sanso open pit, water rock dumps sited next to occasional flooding, among others.
- Water and air Pollution causing all forms of skin infections, severe acute respiratory diseases (SARS), congenital malformation, miscarriages. Inability to access their farmlands due to continuous blasting tearing their homes apart.
- Lack of Good Health Care
Some Women also accused Nana Akua Dwum ll, Queen Mother of Edubiase Traditional Council of conniving with Sansohene to fraud the community since Sanso community is under the Edubiase Stool Land.
But reacting to the allegations, the Queen Mother denied being involved and that upon hearing the issues on board, she invited the chief personally to explain things to her but the chief never showed up. She has since then reported the whole issue to Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll, the Asantehene.
She has again called on AngloGold Ashanti to come out and clear the air on whether she was involved during the signing of the documents relating to the monetary issues.
Source: Obuasi TV