Ntostroso community attacked
Published by MAC on 2006-07-04Ntostroso community attacked
Third World Network, Africa
4th July 2006
On June 6th, 2006 members of the Ntotroso community went on a peaceful demonstration to protest against failed promises by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited.
According to members of the community, the company promised to employ 50% of the total work force in the community. For the last three years however the community noticed that the number of persons employed fell far below the 50% promised them. To make matters worse the company went ahead to retrench some of the few people it has employed. This made the people to go on the street calling on the compay to live up to its promises.
The police and military in response to the demonstration invaded the community, dispersed the demonstrators, went into houses and indiscriminately beat, molested and intimated several people. When we visited the community a total of 76 people complained of various injuries and lost of personal belongings.
Ntotroso is one of the many communities affected by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited Ahafo project in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.
On July 4, Third World Network-Africa organised a press conference for some of the victims to draw public attention and to expose the police/military brutalities. The following statement was delivered there by