The suspects being paraded
Twenty-one (21) foreign nationals, all believed to be from Burkina Faso, have been arrested by the Amansie West District Security Council (DISEC) for engaging in illegal mining on river bodies at Esaase Bontefufuo in the Ashanti Region.
The suspects were apprehended in the early hours of Wednesday, October 22, 2025, during a special intelligence-led operation conducted by the District Police Command and the Formed Police Unit (FPU) under the command of ASP Solomon Adusei Berko.
Confirming the incident, ASP Berko said the operation followed credible intelligence about the activities of foreign nationals involved in galamsey operations that were causing massive environmental degradation in the area.
“We moved in swiftly and arrested twenty-one Burkinabes who were actively mining on river bodies. Several tools and mining equipment were retrieved from the scene,” ASP Berko stated.
He described the extent of destruction as alarming, noting that the illegal activities had led to the contamination of major water sources, the destruction of farmlands, and the depletion of vegetation cover in the community.
ASP Berko warned that the police would not relent in their efforts to clamp down on illegal mining operations, and assured residents of sustained security patrols in the area.
The District Chief Executive for Amansie West and Chairman of DISEC, Prince Manu Morris, lauded the swift response of the security forces and reiterated the Assembly’s determination to stamp out illegal mining in the district.
“Illegal mining continues to destroy our environment and threaten the survival of our communities. Whether Ghanaian or foreign, anyone found engaging in such activities will face the full rigours of the law,” he cautioned.
Mr. Morris also revealed that DISEC will intensify surveillance in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Ghana Immigration Service to prevent further incursions by illegal miners.
He further appealed to residents to assist security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities, to help protect the district’s natural resources.
FROM David Afum, Amansie West