Rights Groups Demand Urgent Action On Killings in Newmont Ahafo South Incident

A deadly confrontation between police and alleged illegal miners at Newmont’s Ahafo South mines on January 8, 2025, has ignited public outrage and renewed calls for systemic reform in Ghana’s mining sector.

The incident left three individuals dead and several others injured in Acherensua, a community in the Ahafo Region.

According to reports, the police—deployed to safeguard Newmont’s mining concession—used lethal force against individuals accused of engaging in illegal mining activities.

While investigations are underway, the violent response has drawn criticism from youth groups, traditional authorities, and civil society organizations (CSOs), who argue that the actions were excessive and unjustified.

A coalition of stakeholders, including Wacam, the Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL), the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis (CEIA), the Global Media Foundation, and the Centre for Social Impact Studies (CeSIS), has issued a joint statement condemning the incident.

“These deaths are needless and highlight the disproportionate use of force against vulnerable communities,” the statement read.

It further criticized the systemic human rights violations enabled by the deployment of state and private security forces to protect mining concessions.

The statement referenced a 2008 report by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), which documented human rights abuses in mining communities.

The report revealed patterns of harassment and inhumane treatment of alleged illegal miners, often involving state security personnel stationed at mining sites.

CHRAJ’s findings underscored the need for security agencies to adhere to constitutional provisions, including Article 15 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the dignity of all individuals and prohibits torture and degrading treatment.

In their call to action, the coalition urged the government to:

1. Conduct independent investigations into human rights violations in mining communities, especially those linked to Newmont’s operations in Ahafo North and South.
2. Investigate the conduct of police officers involved in the January 8 incident.
3. Revise security protocols in mining areas to ensure the protection of community members’ rights.
4. Hold mining companies accountable for implementing measures to prevent human rights abuses.

“State security personnel have a dual mandate: enforcing the law and safeguarding the rights of all citizens,” the statement emphasized, urging authorities to ensure that mining companies and law enforcement operate within the bounds of the law.

The tragic events at Ahafo South are part of a broader pattern of tensions between mining companies and host communities.

Civil society groups have long criticized the perceived impunity with which multinational corporations operate in Ghana’s mining sector, often at the expense of local livelihoods and rights.

This latest incident has reignited debates on the need for a more equitable balance between resource extraction and community welfare, as well as stricter oversight of security operations in mining areas.

As investigations continue, the coalition hopes that justice for the victims will serve as a catalyst for long-overdue reforms in the sector.