Samuel Abu Jinapor, the minister for lands and natural resources, was completely astounded yesterday when he saw the extensive destruction that unlicensed gold miners (galamsey operators) had wrought at Dantano in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.

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When he saw farmlands the size of four football fields (approximately eight acres) being destroyed by illegal miners and left with massive pits, he shook his head in disbelief.

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Mr. Jinapor, who traveled to the region to assess the extent of environmental harm inflicted by galamsey operators, announced that he would be opening an investigation into the devastation.

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Mr Jinapor visited the ‘Operation Halt II’ team that undertook a major operation in the area last Monday.

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Questions

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Mr JInapor wondered whether such vast devastation by illegal miners took place without the knowledge of the district assembly, chiefs, the police and the Minerals Commission.

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He said he would be seeking answers from the Inspectorate office of the Minerals Commission.

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The minister stated that the depth of the pits showed that such activities had been ongoing for years, and expressed the belief that the traditional and political leaders in the district decided to turn a blind eye to them.

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Stakeholders

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He said there was no way all the stakeholders in the community could feign ignorance of what went on.

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Mr Jinapor urged all Ghanaians to get involved in the fight against illegal mining to protect the environment.

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He said the fight should not be left only to the government.

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He commended the General Officer Commanding the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General Joseph Aphour, and his men for leading the fight against illegal mining in the region.

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He assured them of the government’s support and told the team that they had the full support of the President to clamp down on all illegal mining activities in.the region.

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Operations

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Briefing the minister, Brig Gen Aphour said on Monday, September 26, 2022 at Datano and at Atwma Mponua, the team seized 11 excavators and burnt those that could not be moved.

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He said the personnel were unable to make any arrest as the operators had left the sites before their arrival.

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However, he said all their equipment had been destroyed and the excavators sent to some police stations.

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