Workers of two small-scale mining companies in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality on Saturday clashed underground, leaving five miners injured.
The persons who sustained machete wounds with blood all over their bodies were sent to the Apinto Government Hospital and Tarkwa Municipal Hospital for treatment.
The Divisional Crime Officer in charge of Tarkwa, Superintendent of Police Kusi Appiah, confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
He said on Saturday, January 11, around 11am, the Tarkwa Divisional Police Command had a tip-off that there was a misunderstanding between some workers and community mining companies who were both prospecting for gold in an old mining pit at Akoon, a suburb of Tarkwa.
Based on the information, Mr. Appiah said he mobilized some police officers and men and they proceeded to the crime scene, but on arrival they met some officers and men from the Operation Vanguard team on site to maintain peace and order. He added that they then assisted the police to arrest 27 persons.
The suspects who were sent to the Tarkwa police station were detained for further investigations, the divisional crime officer said.
He said they would take their caution statements and after the investigations, those found culpable would be charged for rioting with offensive weapons leading to casualties.
GNA