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Two teenagers got drowned on Monday in River Offin which runs through Anwiafutu near Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti region.
The remains of the victims were pulled out of the river during a rescue mission by local divers Tuesday.
17-year-old Derrick Baah and Atta Panin 18 reportedly fell into the river in an attempt to escape Forestry Officials chasing illegal miners who invaded portions of the Apenkra Forest on that fateful day.
They were among at least six others who had gone to illegally mine at the enclave, destroying some trees planted by the Forestry Commission to restore degraded vegetative cover. One of them was however arrested.
But inhabitants are however threatening a face-off as they accuse the personnel of injustice.
“Since there are some gold deposits here the youth come here to dig. They gather the leftovers and wash them. Yesterday, the forest guards came after them and two attempted to fall into the water to escape. We hear the two were pelted with stones by the guards while they were in the river so the retrieved body has cut all over”, a resident explained.
Assemblyman for the area Akwasi Osei Adu says he is working to restore calm.
“I am engaging the agitated youth tonight and then meet the entire community on Wednesday”, Osei Adu said. “We also want to meet the District Manager at the Forestry Commission over this issue. For now the bodies have been deposited at the morgue while police investigate the matter”.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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