Three Chinese and two Ghanaians allegedly involved in illegal mining have been arrested near River Ankobra and 592 assorted illegal mining equipment destroyed by soldiers in the third phase of the operation to secure all water bodies in the country.
Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, at a media briefing yesterday, said the operational area for the fourth phase of Operation Halt II on River Ankobra is yielding positive results, saying that so far, 24 excavators, 341 changfangs, 123 water pumping machines, four grounding machines, six generators, six motorbikes, and 30 fuel barrels have been destroyed.
He stated that it was observed that some illegal miners have moved their equipment out of the 100 metres zone and parked in nearby communities, but most residents have remained indifferent about the illegal practice.
More Prosecutions
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, at a media briefing said the government has begun the prosecution of persons suspected to have engaged in illegal mining activities.
He said so far, five separate cases are in court and the Attorney General’s office is preparing for more prosecutions of culprits who have flouted the mining laws.
“The first case is the Republic versus George Asante and 31 others. In this case, the earlier report that came out was that some National Security operatives have been arrested engaging in illegal mining elsewhere. It turns out that these persons are not National Security operatives,” the minister said.
In the second case, the minister said it involved the Republic versus Yang Maoji, a Chinese who was arrested for mining illegally in the Pra River. He was arrested by the Operation Halt patrol team.
The third is the Republic versus Wei Gan and another and it involves two Chinese arrested in Ateiku near Tarkwa in the Amenfi West District.
Another case before the court he said is the Republic versus Xue Linhua and two others. This case involves two Chinese and a Ghanaian who were illegally mining in forest reserves. These illegal miners were arrested in Enchi in the Western Region.
The last case, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said is the Republic versus Xue Linhua and five others. This case involves six Chinese who were arrested in Asankragua by National Security operatives. They have been arraigned before the Kaneshie District Court on provisional charges including six counts of possession of firearms without lawful excuse.
About 420 military personnel from all ranks and other sister security apparatus were deployed to rid the country’s forest reserves and water bodies of illegal mining activities in the fourth phase of Operation Halt II.
By Melvin Tarlue