News
Student, 20, dies in galamsey pit
The dusty mining town of Manso Akwasiso in the Amansie South District of Ashanti is heavy with grief.
On Tuesday, February 17, the life of a 20-year-old, Evans Allotey—a student, son, and miner—was cut short in a way that has left his community shaken and angry.
Evans, a second-year student at Okomfo Anokye Senior High School, had joined friends at a small-scale mining site when soldiers stormed the area.
Witnesses say the military arrived in three pickups, firing live rounds to disperse miners. In the chaos, Evans fled. His escape ended in tragedy when he stumbled into a deep galamsey pit.
“He could have been saved,” one miner recalled bitterly. “We tried to reach him, but the soldiers fired warning shots to keep us away. We watched him die.”
For residents, the pain is not only in the loss of a promising young man but in the manner of his death.
The Assembly Member of the area, Nsiah Kesse, condemned the soldiers’ actions, calling them “unacceptable” and accused them of overseeing Evans’s death. He further alleged that the military in the area has been deployed for land reclamation at nearby Manso Nyankomase.
The outrage spilled onto the streets as aggrieved residents staged a demonstration on last Wednesday (February 18) to register their displeasure.
Joining them was Nana Kwakye Gyimah Yeboah II, Chief of Akwasiso, who appealed directly to the government, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Minister for the Interior to intervene to end the harassment, restore calm, and deliver justice.
“This is not just about Evans,” the Chief said. “It is about the fear that grips our people every time soldiers arrive. It is about dignity, about the right to live without intimidation,” he lamented.
The death of Evans Allotey, the Chief noted, “is not just one family’s pain. It has become a reminder of the uneasy relationship between local communities and the soldiers sent to control mining.”
He said, “the town is waiting. People want answers. We want justice for Evans. And above all, want peace so life can go on without fear.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
