The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, says nearly 3,000 ‘Chamfin machines and other illegal mining equipment have been cleared from the Ankobra and other river bodies as part of intensified efforts to combat illegal mining.
The Minister made the disclosure during a patrol of the Ankobra River from Dominase to Gwira Banso in the Western Region to assess the impact of the joint Operation known as Water Shield being conducted by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Navy Special Forces.
According to Hon. Buah, the Ankobra River, which was previously filled with illegal mining machinery and makeshift equipment, has now been significantly cleared following months of sustained operations.
The Minister attributed the progress to a new approach involving intelligence-led operations and permanent security deployments instead of sporadic raids.
He commended NAIMOS and the Navy Special Forces for their collaboration, saying their efforts are yielding visible results in the fight against illegal mining.
He, however, warned that the fight must go beyond removing mining equipment, as government will now intensify efforts to identify and prosecute the sponsors and financiers behind illegal mining activities.
He pledged that government would not relent in the fight against galamsey, insisting that the protection of Ghana’s rivers and forests remains a national priority.
NAIMOS Commander Col. Kwame Sam Appiah in an interview after the patrol issued a strong warning to mining operators whose activities continue to impact the Ankobra, even when their operations are located away from the riverbank.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Cynthia Akans
