Be calm, Nana Bawuah hasn’t sold Sanso community – Queen Mother speaks after bloody clash

Queen mother of Sanso, Nana Gyamfua Amonoo, has urged the infuriated youth of her community to hold their temper, following the bloody violence that occurred in the community two months ago.

Recall that, on April 11, 2022, a bloody clash erupted at Sanso, a town close to Obuasi in the Ashanti Region. Some natives sustained various degrees of injuries and were hospitalised. The Obuasi Police was duly informed of the incidences but no arrests have been made so far.

The clash, according to reports, was as a result of a chieftaincy dispute being instigated by the former Chief of Adumanu, Nana Asrifi Asare.

Part of the report suggested that the Sanso youth believe their Chief, Nana Bawuah has sold the community to AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) and were furiously demanding the alleged money of about $27.3 million. This allegation is totally false.

The violence led to some destruction of the Sanso Palace and several other buildings in the community belonging to the natives who are known to be on the side of Nana Sansohene.

However, Sansohemaa in an interview, debunked claims that Nana Bawua has sold the community to AGA.

Over the years, Nana Bawua is known to be a very industrious businessman and a registered supplier of various services to AngloGold Ashanti (AGA).

He had had several contracts from AGA and other mining companies in and outside Ghana and has delivered the required services for the agreed payments.

According to Nanahemaa, in view of the expertise of Nana Bawua, AGA approached him to support in delivering the Sanso Resettlement Plan Project. He assisted by the agreed terms and conditions and was equally paid for his inputs. The mode of payment led to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in which “AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) agreed with Nana Bawua to monthly payments for 33 months in respect of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP).”

She explained that in 2012 AGA agreed to reimburse Sansohene for any reasonable cost he shall incur while performing the obligation, in terms of the MOU. “Such reasonable cost shall include consultancy fees for architects, lawyers, travels, documentation, etc” and those processes were to be completed by the end of April 2012.

According to the Sansohemaa, for a period of 33 months, thus from February 2012 to October 2014, Nana Afiamoa Kotokuo Bawua genuinely executed his job and was paid by AGA as they had agreed upon.

For this reason, she is making it clear to the Sanso youth and the media that Nana Bawua did not receive any monies intended for the community and used it for his personal gain, nor has he sold the community to AGA.

The accusation that AGA has given 350 job roles for the Sanso community and Nana Bawua has recruited outsiders for his personal gains, is a total fallacy.

It should also be noted that Nana Bawua has no hand in the issue of not allowing the youth of Sanso to do small-scale mining on the Asuoakyi pit, Nanahemaa stressed.

She is however blaming the former Chief of Adumanu, Nana Asrifi Asare for being behind the various skirmishes that occurred in Sanso, after his destoolment at the Guahyia Palace.

She has advised the youth to be patient in order for peace to prevail at Sanso so that together they can better develop the town.