By Iddi Yire
Accra, March 10, GNA – A joint Forestry Commission (FC) and Military operation, Sunday, seized nine excavators and one bulldozer engaging in illegal mining in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in the Enchi Forest District of the Western North Region.
A statement issued by the Enchi District of the Forest Services Division (FSD), copied to the Ghana News Agency said the combined team of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) members from the FC and 30 Military men also arrested four persons in Compartment 17 and 20, on Sunday, 9th March.
It said prior to this operation, on Tuesday, 4th March, operational staff from the Enchi Forest District of the FSD of the FC, together with the Rapid Response Team, upon a tip-off, stormed the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve and drove out 12 excavators that were undertaking illegal mining operations.
It said the FC team was unable to effect any arrest because they were outnumbered and the miners were armed.
The statement said on Thursday, 6th March, based on an intelligence report that illegal miners were planning to return to the Forest Reserve, the team returned to the Forest and prevented re-entry by the illegal miners.
It noted that on Saturday, 8th March, the team upon a tip-off that the illegal miners had returned to the Reserve, went there to effect arrest but once again, they were outnumbered and the miners were heavily armed and refused to remove the excavators from the Reserve.
The statement said the invasion was widely reported on social media.
It said subsequently, the joint team was dispatched to the Reserve to effect arrest and seize the excavators.
It said the seized equipment were being evacuated to the Enchi District Assembly premises; adding that a formal complaint had been made to the Enchi District Police Command.
GNA