The Atwima Mponua Police Command in the Ashanti region on Sunday, August 20, raided the Mpasaaso Bauxite Concession at the Tano-Offin Forest Reserve in the Atwima Mponua District, seizing several equipment in the process.

No arrest has been made but Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Peter Amewu, confirmed to Class FM on Monday, August 21, that he has received reports of the exercise.

According to him, the exercise carried out by the police may have been as a result of inadequate community stakeholder engagement as residents may not be aware of the activities of the company in question.

“I think the community is not aware what is happening [with the activities of the company] but our understanding is that there is a lease which was granted before we came to office and the lease. Normally, what you are supposed to do is to have some level of community engagement for the relevant authorities to be informed,” he explained.

The Government of Ghana has embarked on a move to streamline mining activities in the country and curb illegal practices that pollute the environment.

A joint police and military taskforce has been deployed to mining communities to end all galamsey activities.