The Police have arrested 48 illegal miners who were among the 300 supposedly trapped in the AngloGold Ashanti Ghana’s Obuasi Mine shaft.
They had reportedly entered the underground shaft in search of gold deposits but were unable to come out after all exit routes were closed.
Personnel from the police and military were deployed at the main exit of the shaft and instructed the miners to come out voluntarily.
Those who exited were subsequently arrested and taken to a nearby police station.
Fifteen of the miners have however been granted bail while the rest are being interrogated.
It is however unclear the number of illegal miners still in the shaft as authorities were making efforts to enable their exit
AngloGold Ashanti in an earlier statement said seven illegal miners had exited the mine through the main access point and were in the custody of the Ghana Police Service.
The company said the persons underground are not confined and that the main exit remains open for them to voluntarily exit on foot.
Meanwhile, armed military officers fired gunshots to disperse some youth who had besieged the Obuasi District Police Command to demand the release of the miners in custody.
The youth in their numbers burnt car tyres close to the police command to protest the arrest of the illegal miners.