Soldiers Allegedly Whip Teachers Over Galamsey in Tarkwa-Nsuaem

Three teachers from Adiewoso M/A Basic School in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipaliy of the Western Region were reportedly assaulted by men believed to be military officers during an anti-galamsey operation in the area.

According to reports, the incident happened after a rubber processing company invited the soldiers to help stop illegal miners, popularly known as “galamseyers,” who were operating on the company’s plantation near the community and the school.

Eyewitnesses say the soldiers initially stormed the mining site and confronted the illegal miners before returning to their barracks.

However, residents claim that in the early hours of Thursday, the officers returned to the town and allegedly launched an attack on residents, especially males suspected to be connected to the illegal mining activities.

Among those reportedly assaulted were three teachers from the Adiewoso M/A Basic School, including the headteacher. The husband of a female teacher, who had visited his wife at the school, was also said to have been attacked.

Speaking on the incident, Daniel Mensah, the Wassa West District Vice Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), stated that the teachers tried to explain to the soldiers that they had no involvement in galamsey activities.

According to him, the teachers even showed their GNAT membership cards to identify themselves, but the officers allegedly ignored their explanations.

Mr. Mensah recounted that the soldiers reportedly told the teachers, “You teachers should rather advise the town folks not to do galamsey in the rubber plantation. This is nonsense.”

The soldiers allegedly ordered the teachers to lie on the ground before whipping them severely, causing injuries to their backs and other parts of their bodies.

The incident has sparked outrage among residents and members of the education community, with many calling for investigations into the alleged assault and abuse by the military officers.