Illegal Miners In Esaase Set Fire on Rabotech Mining Equipment Valued at 28 Million Dollars

The incident occurred on Tuesday at the “cut 5” and “cut 6” zones of Asanko Mining Company.

The destroyed machinery, which included heavy-duty vehicles, crushing machines, and water tankers, belonged to Rabotech Mining Services Limited, a Ghanaian company and a subcontractor for the Asanko Mining Group.

During a visit to the site on Wednesday, officials from the Minerals Commission, Rabotech, and Asanko Mines found the equipment burnt beyond recognition.

Suspicions of a Targeted Attack:
What surprised the visiting officials was that only Rabotech’s equipment was destroyed, even though other contractors’ sites were located nearby.

The selective nature of the damage has led some to believe the incident was part of a larger plan to deliberately target Rabotech’s assets.

The Investigation
Police from the Ghana Police Service, including officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), were also on site.

They had already been combing the area for leads and had spoken to locals.

Town residents, many of whom depend on the mining company for their livelihoods, were present at the scene and appeared to be providing police with information about the identities of those responsible for the arson.

In addition to the torched sites at Esaase and Tetrem, warehouses used for maintenance and repairs were ransacked, with valuable items reported stolen.

Community Atmosphere:
While the communities of Esaase and Tetrem appeared calm, there was a noticeable increase in motorcycle traffic in Tetrem, a stark contrast to the quiet atmosphere in Esaase.

Later that evening, officials met with the chief and queen of Tetrem to inform them of the destruction.

While the meeting was private, sources reported that the chief assured the officials he would brief the paramount chief and other traditional authorities on the matter.