IGP orders major crackdown on illegal mining in Western and Western Central Regions

The Inspector General of Police, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has ordered a series of high-impact operations targeting illegal mining activities around the River Ankobra and other hotspots in the Western and Western Central regions.

This week, officers from the Ghana Police Service carried out coordinated raids in areas known for rampant “galamsey” operations, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of significant mining equipment and materials.

At Abelebo and Duale, along the River Ankobra, police officers stormed active illegal mining sites where miners were caught in the act of polluting the river. Among the arrested was 20-year-old Musah Ali and several of his accomplices. The team destroyed several changfan machines used for dredging and seized six excavator monitors, two excavator batteries, and 32 gallons of fuel.

In Nzema East, the operation was led by the Municipal Chief Executive, Herbert Nuah Dickson, in collaboration with the Divisional Police Commander, Isaac Kwasi Sorkpah, and other senior police officers. Their efforts formed part of the national crackdown to protect the country’s natural water bodies and farmlands from environmental degradation.

Simultaneously, a separate operation in the Western Central Region, led by the Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Appiah Kusi, arrested 10 individuals mining illegally near the Akyem Motor Road and beneath high-tension electricity transmission lines, posing serious safety and environmental threats.

In another sweeping raid at Kaniankor-Nsuaem, also in the Western Central Region, a team of 30 police personnel arrested 50 suspected illegal miners. During the operation, 47-year-old Kwame Sarfo was caught in possession of substances suspected to be narcotic drugs. Investigations are ongoing.

Authorities have vowed to sustain the momentum and bring all culprits to justice. COP Yohuno reiterated the police service’s commitment to supporting the national effort to eliminate illegal mining and safeguard the country’s natural resources for future generations.

Source: Elvisanokyenews.net