The Nkawie Divisional Police Command, under the leadership of ASP Noah Yakpah, has launched a forceful operation against illegal mining activities in the Agogoso community in the Atwima Mponua District, targeting miners operating unlawfully along the River Offin.
In the early hours of Wednesday, March 4, police officers raided several illegal mining camps, destroying excavators, trommels and makeshift structures used for galamsey operations. The equipment was deliberately set ablaze as a deterrent to would-be offenders and a signal that authorities are intensifying enforcement efforts against environmental crime.
“This action is necessary to protect our forests and water resources. We cannot allow illegal miners to continue poisoning our rivers and threatening the health and livelihoods of our people,” ASP Yakpah told journalists at the scene.
River Offin, a key source of water for communities in the Ashanti and Central regions, has experienced extensive pollution from unregulated mining.
Sediment, mercury and other toxic chemicals used by galamsey operators have turned stretches of the river brown and murky, harming aquatic life and making the water unsafe for domestic use. Water bodies across Ghana, including the Offin, Pra, Birim and Ankobra rivers, have been severely contaminated by sediment and heavy metals from illegal mining activities.
ASP Yakpah urged local residents to support the crackdown, stressing that public cooperation is key to uprooting galamsey networks.
He encouraged residents to report suspicious activities so enforcement teams can act swiftly, reiterating the need for sustainable livelihood alternatives to discourage locals from engaging in illegal mining.
FROM David Afum, Nkawie