On the one-year anniversary of the deadly shooting that claimed the lives of nine people in Obuasi, former parliamentary aspirant for the Obuasi East Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Hajia Bintu Saana, has donated food items to the bereaved families, drawing renewed attention to their continued suffering and the lack of compensation one year after the tragedy.

The donation, which included bags of rice and other essential food items worth thousands of Ghana cedis, was presented to widows and children of the victims who were killed on January 18, 2025.

The tragic incident occurred when a group of men from the Obuasi Municipality attempted to access the AngloGold Ashanti mining concession.

Reports indicate that a confrontation broke out between the group and military personnel guarding the site, leading to gunfire that killed nine men on the spot and left several others seriously injured.

In the aftermath of the incident, President John Dramani Mahama assured the nation and the affected families of a thorough investigation and appropriate compensation.

However, one year later, the official cause of the shooting remains unclear, and neither the state nor AngloGold Ashanti management has paid any compensation to the victims’ families.

Speaking on behalf of Hajia Bintu Saana, the Assembly Member for Samsonkrom, Abdul Rahman Siedu, popularly known as Ogyege, described the donation as a humanitarian gesture motivated by compassion.

“Hajia Bintu saw the pain and the need and decided to act from the heart,” he said.

“This support is purely humanitarian, but it cannot replace justice or the compensation promised by the state.

We are calling on the government to honour its commitment to these families.”

The event also provided an opportunity for community leaders to express broader frustrations about socio-economic challenges in Obuasi.

A youth leader, Emmanuel Kofi Ayamga, linked the fatal incident to rising unemployment in the municipality, warning that unresolved economic hardships could lead to future unrest.

“We are appealing to the President to restore hope in Obuasi,” he said.

“There are no jobs for the youth, and the situation is worrying. If this problem is ignored, the consequences could be dangerous.”

Family members of the victims, visibly emotional, shared stories of grief, hardship and a sense of abandonment.

“My husband went there because there was no work. He never came back,” one widow said, pleading for justice and support. “We were promised help, but nothing has come.”

While the donation brought temporary relief to the affected families, it also reignited calls for accountability, justice and economic intervention in Obuasi.

One year after the deadly shootings, residents say unanswered questions surrounding the investigation, compensation and youth unemployment continue to cast a shadow over the community.