By Emmanuel Gamson
Takoradi, May 23, GNA – The Western Regional Security Council has intensified its efforts in clamping down on illegal mining activities in forest reserves and water bodies within the Region.
In a recent anti-galamsey operation, the Council confiscated eight excavators, seven pump-action guns, 66 cartridges, and four mobile phones from illegal miners operating along the Ankobra River in the Evaloe-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency.
Additionally, several water pumping machines and shelters belonging to the illegal miners were destroyed.
Brigadier General Musa Whajah (Rtd), Western Region National Security Liaison Officer, said farmlands, cocoa farms, and the Ankobra River were under severe threat due to illegal mining activities along Ampasie, Atongo Junction, Petro, and Dominase communities in the Evaloe-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency.
He said: “Our site visit revealed extensive land destruction in the pursuit of gold, with several acres ravaged, and alarmingly, these mining activities are occurring less than a kilometre from the Ankobra River, posing a direct risk of contamination.”
He stated that the team would not relent in its efforts to rid forest reserves and water bodies of galamsey activities in the Region.
“I want to stress that this won’t be a one-off operation. We will conduct more operations and possibly deploy canoes to patrol the Ankobra and Pra rivers to ensure that they return to their normal state,” Brig. Gen. Whajah (Rtd) added.
He noted, however, that logistics had become a significant challenge in conducting operations, nonetheless these issues would not hinder their efforts.
“A key challenge has been logistics, but it hasn’t hindered our efforts to conduct operations.
“The devastation along the riverbanks sometimes also slows our movement and activities, but we are up to the task,” he said.
GNA
Mildred Siabi-Mensah/Kenneth Odeng Adade