In the Ashanti Region, 12 illegal mining excavators were seized.
In a special operation on Monday, personnel from Operation Halt II seized at least 12 excavators in the Atwima Mponua and Amansie South districts of the Ashanti Region.
The military team handed over the seized excavators to the police at Datano after removing the control boards in the Amansie South District, while others were handed over to the Atwima Mponua District Assembly.
The visits to the various sites revealed that vast lands within the two districts had been severely degraded as a result of illegal mining.
Galamseyers were still destroying hectares of arable land in the Atwima Mponua district.
According to the team leader, Colonel Ansah Akrofi, the operation would last several days in order to put a stop to the illegal mining menace caused by the wanton destruction of the environment.
Within three weeks, 300 chanfans used in illegal river mining were impounded and burned by a task force formed by the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) in collaboration with the Atwima Mponua District Assembly.
Five people were arrested in connection with illegal mining activities in some communities along the River Offin, including Assembly Member for the Kotokuom Electoral Area, Akwasi Poku.
Four other suspects were apprehended in the Atwima Mponua District at Abompe, Abaasua, Amaada, and Agogoso.
Nana Yaw Owusu, Nana Appiah, Opanyin Kuffour, and Opanyin Kwaku Duah were among the seven elders chosen to serve as Dikro in the absence of a Kokotuom chief.
They have been turned over to the Nyinahini Police for legal action.
When the task force arrived, a large number of illegal miners fled, leaving their mining equipment behind.
As part of the campaign against illegal mining in the area, the task force took some selected media outlets on a tour of the polluted Offin River and destroyed forest reserves.
The Vice-President of GNASSM, Sampson Kofi Wiredu, explained that the tour was intended to provide the media with information about what was going on and to confirm that some traditional leaders and people in positions of authority were deeply involved in illegal mining, which was threatening their jobs.
He stated that the association was eager to assist the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in combating the social scourge.
"People are deeply involved in galamsey, and it affects all of us." "We will expose and report any traditional leader found to be involved in illegal activities in his community," Mr. Wiredu warned.
He commended residents for giving the hint which led to the arrest of the assembly member, saying that all needed to come on board to fight the menace.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0