The main road entrance of Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited stood unusually crowded on Friday morning, but not with workers reporting for duty. Instead, a heavy contingent of police officers lined the road, their presence a clear signal that something was brewing in this quiet corner of Talensi in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
And then they came, dozens of residents marching with determined steps and raised voices. Their chants echoed off the dusty road as they gathered before the mining company’s entrance, holding aloft placards that painted a picture of deep-seated grievance. The protest was peaceful but charged with years of frustration. According to several residents who spoke on condition of anonymity, the company that had promised jobs and development had instead delivered marginalization.
“They treat us like strangers in our own land,” one elderly man said, his voice trembling. “We see the trucks hauling wealth away every day, but our children still have no clean water. Our farms are damaged. And when we ask for help, they look the other way.”
The placards carried blunt, bitter messages that left no room for interpretation. “Stop discrimination against the locals,” one read. Another declared: “Stop dividing communities.” A third, held high by a middle-aged farmer, stated simply: “Talensi land full of gold, yet the people are poor.” Other signs bore even more desperate pleas: “Poor houses, no food,” “Proper farmer compensation now,” and “No employment, no Cardinal Namdini.”
For hours, the demonstration remained a war of words and wills. The police maintained a visible but restrained presence, neither engaging the crowd nor retreating. But then, witnesses say, the atmosphere changed.
According to multiple demonstrators who spoke to this reporter, the soldiers did not attempt to negotiate or disperse the crowd verbally. Instead, they moved directly toward the front lines of the protest, swinging batons and pushing people back. In the ensuing chaos, a woman – later identified as one of the key voices among the marchers – says she was beaten.
“I was not holding any weapon. I was not shouting insults. I only demonstrated for the mining company unfair treatment against us,” she recounted, wincing as she lifted her sleeve to reveal dark purple marks on her dark skin. “The soldier looked at me, and he beat me like I was a criminal. For what? For asking that our own gold benefits our own children?”
The alleged beating lasted only seconds, but its impact rippled through the gathering. Several other protesters rushed to the woman’s aid, and the soldiers eventually withdrew to the perimeter. The protest did not turn violent – remarkably, the marchers continued to chant but stepped back, creating a ring of space around the injured woman. Some offered water. Others photographed her injuries on their phones, vowing to send the images to human rights groups.
The police later issued a brief statement saying they were “aware of an incident” but admonished the demonstrators to reorganize themselves and come back since there was an injunction for they not to demonstrate.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited has not yet commented directly on the allegation of soldier brutality.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com