Three of the suspects
Five persons suspected to have been engaging in illegal mining or ‘galamsey’ activities have been apprehended.
They were arrested in an operation by the Western Regional Police Command at Wassa Dormaa in the Wassa East District of the region.
It was gathered that the suspects were part of a larger group of illegal miners polluting rivers and degrading farmlands in the area.
The operation, which lasted several hours, saw some of the galamseyers fleeing the scene.
DCOP Osei Akoto, who led the operation, assured the public of the police’s commitment to dealing with all illegal mining activities in the area.
He emphasised the need for maximum support from the communities and traditional leaders, as they are the custodians of the land and are better positioned to identify areas where galamseyers operate.
“We urge the residents to report any galamsey activities because protecting the environment is a collective responsibility,” he indicated.
Meanwhile, residents in the affected area have commended the police for their actions, adding, “We are happy that measures are being taken to address the menace.”
Some opinion leaders, however, called for more action from the government since the traditional leaders are helpless in dealing with the heavily armed illegal miners.
They also stressed the need for those arrested to be prosecuted.
They cited instances where previous arrested illegal miners were freed, which emboldened other galamseyers, while innocent people who provided information became targets.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi