Some of the illegal miners
SEVEN ILLEGAL miners, including six Chinese nationals, and one Ghanaian, have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining, also known as ‘galamsey’.
The illegal miners were, reportedly, apprehended during a swoop by the ‘Operation Halt 2’ team in the Bekwai Forest Reserve enclave in the Ashanti Region last Friday.
The successful intelligence-led security operation also resulted in the seizure of about seven excavators, which the illegal miners were using to mine for gold.
Lt Col Louis Boakye, Deputy Commander, Operation Halt 2, told the media that the Chinese nationals have since been handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service.
According to him, the Operation Halt 2 team are determined to work assiduously to reduce illegal mining activities to the barest minimum in Ashanti Region.
Lt Col Boakye disclosed that, it was during their routine checks in the forest reserves that led to the arrest of the seven illegal miners, stressing that the exercise would continue.
He observed that most of the forest had been greatly destroyed by illegal miners, adding that their condemnable activities pose serious threat to the lives of the local people.
“So many places are inaccessible. There are a lot of pits which is a threat to lives, especially the local farmers in the area and the security personnel, who would be patrolling the forest reserves,” he added.
He gave the assurance that the Central Command has the ability to tame the illegal miners in order to save the fast depleting forest, to help save lives.
“The Central Command, we fight to win, we never give up, and so long as we have been given the task of Operation Halt 2, we shall continue to work and ensure that we execute it to the best of our abilities to ensure the forests are safe.
“Activities of illegal mining in the Central Command would be brought to the barest minimum. We will never give up as we always fight to win,” he assured.
Lt Col Boakye, however, appealed to the public to give out information on those involved in illegal mining activities “so we can pursue these criminals”.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi