By Jennifer Acheng
Abim district security committee has sealed off the newly discovered Okemer gold mining site in Kathipus parish, chamkok sub-county and evicted all the miners.
Discovered about a month ago, the gold mining site had reportedly attracted over 1,500 people locally, nationally and internationally all crammed in one place and hoping to benefit from the gold deposits.
The rush was however, shot-lived following the intervention of the district authorities who deployed the security forces citing a lot of concerns including the complete lack of sanitary facilities, security and leadership at the site among others.
James Shilaku the Abim RDC in an interview with our reporter on the phone said that the decision to temporally halt the mining activities in the area was arrived at during a district security meeting due the various challenges witnessed at the site at the time of inspection.
Superintendent of Police Peter Akampurira the Abim district police commander, told our reporters in his office that the site will be reopen to the public as soon as the necessary requirements are fulfilled.
Marino Otuu Aballa, the Chamkok sub-county LC3 chairperson is calling for calm among locals urging them to let the district perform its duties, and see how to reopen the mining site to the locals.
On Thursday a team of journalists from Etoil A Karamoja was given a rare access and a guided tour of the site by the UPDF officer at the site following its closure and Etoil A Karamoja will at the appointed time bring you a detailed report about the site.
