huge losses

Ghana: Violent attacks on mining companies could hamper sector growth

By Jonas Nyabor

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Posted on March 31, 2023 10:20

© An informal gold miner in a gold mining pit at the site of Nsuaem-Top, Ghana. (Photo: REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra) — An informal gold miner in a gold mining pit at the site of Nsuaem-Top, Ghana. (Photo: REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra)

An upsurge in violent clashes in Ghana between mining companies and illegal small-scale miners in their host communities in the last six months could hinder more investment in the sector if a solution is not found, according to the Ghana Chamber of Mines.

At least three people have died and properties worth millions of Ghana cedis have been lost during the recent clashes.

Chinese-owned Golden Star Wassa Limited (GSWL) is the latest company to suffer such an attack at its operational site at Benso, 270km west of Ghana’s capital Accra.

12 vehicles and other company property were torched by more than 30 irate youths, identified by GSWL as illegal miners earlier in March.

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