Peace has finally returned to Bimpongagya, a suburb of Twifo Praso in the Central Region week after a spar between the Twifo Praso Divisional police command and the some youth of the community after the police had gone to clamp down illegal miners in the area.
An eyewitness who gave account on what happened that fateful day said illegal miners tried to swim across the Pra River upon seeing the police approach, and in the process one of miners was shot by the police while another drowned when trying to escape.
He continued that bodies of the deceased were later washed to the banks of the river alleging that some of the youth took the dead bodies to the Twifo Praso Police Station and upon their arrival ransacked the police station, destroying documents and other valuables in the process and further attempted to burn down the police station.
In a follow-up interview with Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Samuel Ato Amoah confirmed that calm has been restored in the area, after bodies of the deceased were sent to the hospital for autopsy.
He said meetings have been held with families of the deceased and had all agreed to wait for the autopsy report before any further actions are taken.
Hon. Ato Amoah took the opportunity to advise “galamsey” youth who operate in the Prah River without permit to desist from the act since their waste toxin were polluting the only source of water to some indigenes.
The MP further noted that personnel from the Ghana Police Service and government’s special taskforce will continue to hunt illegal galamsey operators in the area.
Emmanuel Frimpong Mensah/GhanaMPs.gov.gh