Galamsey operators in the Dunkwa Offin enclave in the Central Region, Wednesday, started counting their losses when the ‘Stop Galamsey Operation’ Taskforce closed up on them and destroyed their operating machines running into millions of Ghana Cedis.
About 50 operating machines used by the illegal miners were confiscated and destroyed by the taskforce.
The team had on Tuesday, destroyed 19 of such machines when they stormed some illegal mining operating sites in an effort to enforce the ban on illegal mining.
The machines were used by the operators to mine on River Offin which serves as the major source of water for residents in the Upper Denkyira District East.
The Taskforce was set up by the Chief of Dunkwa Offin, Okofrobuor Obeng Nuako III in collaboration with the Dunkwa Offin Small Scale Mining Association and representations from the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Minerals Commission, Ghana Police Service, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Dunkwa Traditional Council.
The Public Relation Officer of Stop Galamsey Taskforce, Dunkwa Offin, Mr Peter Ayilkey, who confirmed this to the media, said government’s effort to crackdown on galamsey would be better fought if traditional leaders and small scale mining operators got involved.
He appealed for support from the government to reduce or halt activities of illegal miners which he claims, have caused pollution of many water bodies in the country.
According to the Dunkwa Small scale Mining Association, they supported Lands Minister, John Peter Amewu’s roadmap to ending activities of illegal miners blamed for the pollution of the country’s water bodies because of the death traps the galamseyers are creating in the community.
“We have always advised them to leave but they don’t want to leave,” he said, adding that they have tasked the Taskforce to destroy equipment used by the miners.
