Armed Forces intensify anti-galamsey fight on rivers


Ghana's Armed Forces have begun an intensive exercise aimed at keeping illegal miners away from the country's water bodies.

The intensive riverine operations, according to the Ghana Armed Forces commenced on Tuesday February 6,2018 and is meant to halt the activities of some recalcitrant illegal miners who have "relocated their destructive activities unto major water bodies in Eastern Western, Ashanti, Central and Brong Ahafo Regions."

The statement said although over 1,000 illegal miners have been arrested and their equipment seized by Operation Vanguard, "GAF deems it necessary to step up the riverine operations in order to maintain the improved security situation and curb the menace by the illegal miners on the river bodies in Eastern, Ashanti, Western, Central and Brong Ahafo Regions."

GAF in the statement also noted that the riverine operations has, since its inception, led to the destruction of over 340 makeshift accommodations and mining equipment including chanfans, water pumping machines, motor cycles and tri-cycles deserted by illegal miners especially at Dokokyina around the Bui Dam.

Credit Sulaiman