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2 illegal miners in Police custody for mining in Supuma Forest

Two illegal miners have been arrested by a joint security taskforce for mining in the Supuma Forest near Betenase in the Akrofuom District of the Ashanti region.

Date Created : 6/21/2021 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Susana Danso/Ghanadistricts.com

The taskforce, made up of personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission was led by District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Mr. Maurice Jonas Woode.

Speaking in an interview, Mr. Woode stated that even before the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Minister declared forest reserves and water bodies as red zones, thus, restricted areas, the Assembly had already teamed up with the Forestry Commission at Betenase to sensitize them on the dangers of illegal mining and advised them to protect the forest.

”But to our dismay, we had information that the illegal miners had pitched camp in the area with five (5) sprinter buses and were even fighting among themselves” He added.

The DCE further stated that, they had tried on several occasions to clamp down on their activities but to no avail since they no more use excavators but have adopted the ‘metal detector system which are mostly complicated and becomes very difficult for their operations to be noticed.

He continued that, the miners upon getting wind of the presence of the operation team fled leaving their machines behind whiles lack run out on two of their colleagues who were immediately apprehended by the Police.