Military personnel, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission taskforce, have impounded 22 excavators operating illegal mining, in some forest reserves in the Western North Region.
Sources close to our news team indicate that, some of these illegal miners were able to abscond upon seeing the operation team.
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However, four people have been arrested. The four people arrested were three Ghanaians and one of their Chinese counterparts.
The 22 excavators were impounded at Anhwiaso East Forest Reserve, Anhwiaso South Forest Reserve, Afao Hills Forest Reserve, and Upper Wassaw Forest Reserve.
Illegal mining activities in the Western North Region in a spate of five years, have destroyed farmlands, rivers, and water bodies and depleted some forest reserves.
Even though the Commission is destroying excavators and arresting illegal miners in the forest reserves, these illegal miners still feel reluctant to stop their activities.
A resident ,Kwaku Yeboah, who spoke to us, believes the punishment must be stiffer to serve as a deterrent to discourage others from entering forest reserves to embark on the illegal activities.
“Their activities have destroyed our farmlands, and something must be done about it. Most of the forest reserves in the region and water bodies have been destroyed by the galamsey operators,” he lamented.
By Benjamin Aidoo
