Nkrumah, a 13 year old pupil, was gunned down on Saturday, Dec 13 at Adelekezo in the Nzema East municipality of #Ghana. His crime? Daring to go in search of firewood and water for the day's meal.
Adelekezo's only source of water has been polluted by foreign illegal miners protected by private security, with the tacit approval of the local political and police force. The illegal miners were so emboldened that they closed off the route leading to their illegal mine, which happens to be the route used by the locals to go to their farms, and for their movements to and from the community.
It was at this illegal barrier, mounted by foreign illegal miners in the community, preventing locals from accessing whatever was left of their land and source of water, that young Nkrumah was gunned down to death.
Ghana's constitution (Article 41.1) guarantees a safe and healthy environment for current and future generations. For NKrumah and his community, the state of Ghana has abdicated from this duty. This is the second death in 3 weeks in Nzema East Municipality. Today, locals - young, old, men, women and children have been forced to vacate the town of Adelekezo for fear of Police reprisals. The very people mourning the loss of a son are being hunted for daring to riot over the senseless killing of Nkrumah.
We call on President Mahama to:
- Immediately recall the MCE and the Police Command in Axim, and order an independent enquiry into what happened.
- Order a stoppage to all surface mining activities going on in the Nzema East enclave. The use of private security by these surface miners has resulted in a parallel society where brute force reigns and citizens live in constant fear.
- The immediate arrest of those whose actions have led to the brutal killing of Nkrumah and the accident that led to the killing of a woman by a lowbed carrying mining equipment into the community.
Please share until President Mahama hears us. Yours in the struggle.