Illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, is endangering the power supply in Konongo and surrounding areas of the Ashanti and Eastern Regions. This growing threat is centered around the Northern Ashanti Mines’ concession, where galamsey activities have spread to areas containing critical infrastructure, including the pylons of a GRIDCO substation.
The illegal miners have not only invaded this concession but have also undermined the very structures supporting the region’s power grid. These pylons are crucial for maintaining the electricity supply to Konongo Township and other nearby communities. Their compromised state due to the mining activities poses a severe risk of power outages that could disrupt daily life and businesses across these regions.
At the heart of this issue is the GRIDCO substation located within the Northern Ashanti Mines’ concession, which is directly affected by the galamsey operations. This substation is vital for the transmission of power across parts of the Ashanti and Eastern Regions. With several pylons now compromised, the potential for large-scale power interruptions has significantly increased.
Despite the security measures taken by the mining company, including deploying a dedicated task force to protect the concession, illegal miners have persisted in their operations. The mining company has consistently raised concerns, reaching out to local authorities and security agencies. However, despite their appeals to the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) and the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), little progress has been made in addressing the situation.
The ongoing presence of illegal miners on the mining concession has escalated tensions in the area. A recent confrontation between the mining company’s task force and the miners resulted in a violent clash. Armed individuals attacked the company’s security personnel, causing injuries and damaging equipment. This incident has heightened fears of further violence, with the situation continuing to spiral out of control.
The mining company is now bracing for a potentially explosive situation. Intelligence reports indicate that the illegal miners are planning another assault on the concession, with Thursday, October 10, marked as a critical date. The company fears that another confrontation could occur between its security personnel and the illegal miners, raising the stakes even higher.
With the security situation deteriorating, the threat to the region’s power supply has never been greater. If the ongoing illegal mining activities are not curbed, the damage to the power infrastructure could result in widespread outages, affecting households, businesses, and essential services across the Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
The mining company continues to urge local security agencies to take swift and decisive action to protect the concession and prevent further damage to the power grid. Their efforts to safeguard the region’s power supply are crucial, but without adequate support from local authorities, the situation may worsen, with devastating consequences for the people of Konongo and beyond.
This ongoing crisis underscores the broader challenges posed by illegal mining in Ghana, where the economic interests of illegal miners frequently clash with the need to protect vital infrastructure and resources. In this case, the stakes are especially high, as the power supply to entire regions hangs in the balance.
The mining company is calling for urgent intervention from both local and national authorities to address this issue before it escalates further. The company’s attempts to safeguard its concession and protect the region’s power infrastructure have been met with violent resistance, and without additional support, it fears that the illegal mining activities could lead to a full-scale crisis. As the situation develops, all eyes are on the local security forces and government agencies to see how they will respond to this growing threat.
