Flushing out Illegal Miners on major River Bodies – Ghana Armed Forces gets results

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) re-activated its ‘Operation Halt II’ in April 2021 to flush out illegal small-scale miners from some major river bodies and forest reserves in Ashanti, Eastern, Western and Western North Regions.

The Acting Director of Public Relations, Commander A La-Anyane Anyane said, the Army with the support from the Navy and Air Force have so far cleared a total of 230 platforms and 365 Changfan machines covering a total distance 267 kilometers stretch of the rivers Pra and Offin and their tributaries.

The Ghana Armed Forces continue to conduct follow-up surgical operations in targeted areas to sustain the campaign to rid river bodies of all illegal mining activities in Ghana. Areas so far cleared include Beposo upstream, Daboase, Sekyere Krobo, Sekyere Nsuta, Mamposo, Twifo Praso, Awisam up to Asaman (the confluence of River Pra and Offin). The clearing team also resumed operations on River Offin and is currently at Abora within the Upper Denkyira East Municipality. Areas along River Offin that have been cleared include Asma Camp, Denkira Foso, Badoa No.1 and 2, Kyekyewere, Buabenso, Akyempim and Dunkwa, he said.

“A total of 110 platforms and 185 Changfan machines have been destroyed on river Offin, covering a distance of approximately 114 kilometers” Commander La-Anyane Anyane noted.

The GAF has therefore advised all persons engaged in illegal mining, especially along the country’s river bodies and our forest reserves, to desist from these criminal activities which are seriously destroying our environment or risk being severely dealt with according to the laws of the nation.

Additionally, we wish to send a clear warning to those who have shifted their activities to other parts of the country where the footprints of Operation Halt is yet to touch that their days are numbered.

By Sheila Satori Mensa