Mother of seven injured in Saamang mining clash

A mother of seven is fighting for her life after being struck by a bullet during a violent confrontation between residents of Saamang and military personnel in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region.

The woman, Janet Koh, was selling roasted corn by the roadside when tensions flared between local youth and soldiers deployed to protect the operations of Kibi Goldfields Limited.

The mining company is under fire from residents who accuse it of encroaching on the buffer zone and the main course of the Akusu River, considered sacred by the community.

According to witnesses, a group of residents had stopped the company from continuing work at the river site.

In response, military personnel, reportedly acting on the company’s request, moved in and arrested two young men believed to be leading the protest.

As soldiers attempted to transport the arrested men out of the area, more residents gathered and blocked the road. The situation quickly turned chaotic.

In an effort to disperse the crowd, the soldiers fired several warning shots.

Janet Koh was caught in the chaos and a stray bullet hit her right leg as she tried to flee the scene.

She was rushed to the Saviour Memorial Hospital in Osiem, where she is still receiving treatment.

“Tensions were already high because of the mining near the river. People are just tired, and now someone has been shot,” said one resident.

The community remains on edge, with residents calling for the release of the detained youth and for those responsible for the shooting to be held accountable.

Many are also demanding a full investigation into both the mining activity and the use of force by the military.