Two people who were involved in unlawful mining known as galamsey at Nweneso No.I,a farming community in the Atwima Kwanwoma district of Ashanti region, have been arrested by the police command in the district on Monday afternoon.
The two who were illegally mining in the aforementioned town in the Atwima Kwanwoma district despite government and the media war against unlawful mining is in the police custody.
During a tour to inspect mining sites by the district chief executive, Hon.Nana Antwi Okyere Tawiah with his team of men including the district police command led by DSP Augustine Mensah caused the arrest of the two who were on site mining.
Though, this paper can confirmed that during the inspection by the district assembly including the police, those mining at the river side and forest reservations have remove all their excavators from site,however,the two who were spotted were using another form to mine by digging deep round holes to get their gold.
In an interview with the district chief executive, Hon. Nana Antwi Okyere Tawiah after the exercise, he said, as President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has promised Ghanaians that he will not relent in illegal mining fight, so as the district also won’t allow the miners to defy government directives.
He told the New Crusading Guide, when he assumed office short while ago, there was report coming from various villages that some people are still on site mining but when he sent the police to go for their arrest, they find no one on site. This mean the directive of government to ban illegal mining is working but at least, there will be some people who will defy the directives from government and that is why they have been arrested.
According to the DCE,the district assembly headed by him has held several district security meetings to ensure the directive from government are followed and that sometimes, he instruct the police to patrol on some mining sites to inspect whether the miners are on site or move from site.
‘’I love my people and that under no way I will allow others to destroy farmlands, river bodies which serves as the main source of water to some communities and also forest reservations’’,said,Hon Okyere Tawiah.
The DCE who was surprised about the activities of these miners said, it was his first time of seeing the type of mining by those who have been arrested because, for all what he know is that either one will mining by using heavy duty machines, but for this one, they have dug round holes deeply to ascertain the gold which can kill them anytime when it collapsed.
Apart from killing them when it collapsed, it can also kill farmers who may not be aware that holes has been left without covering and that it is even dangerous than the one many people are talking about it.
Though he said, he is not against mining because if one can recalled, the Chinese were able to export over 7 billion dollars to their country adding that if proper way is used to mine as it happened in other parts of the world, government won’t wage any war on anyone concerning proper mining.
He thanked the team of men who were part of the entourage during the exercise on Monday including the assemblyman of the area and also the Municipal coordinating director, Mr. Emmanuel Ntoso for their able support to ensure the war on illegal mining by government won’t be defied by people but will be sustainable.
Story by Martin Osei Tutu