Three illegal miners arrested, 1000 Chang fa platforms seized

In all, three suspected illegal miners have been arrested by the Operation Vanguard Taskforce in collaboration with the National Small Scale Miners.

More than one thousand (1,000) ‘Chang fa’ platforms have also been immobilized. Squadron Leader Robison Amane-Adjei, the Public Relations Officer of the team, told the Ghana News Agency that it was led by the Operation Vanguard’s National Commander, Colonel Michael Amoah Ayisi, who conducted the operations in the Central Region on Monday 5 February 2018.

Suspects are with the Dunkwa Police to assist in further investigations. He said concentration was more on the Offin and Pra Rivers targeting illegal miners using dredging platforms (Chang fa).

The combined team operated in two groups; group “A” took to the Offin River from Dunkwa on Offin, Kyekyewere, Dunkwa Akropong and other areas in the Upper Denkyira East District.

Group “B” also concentrated on the Pra River from Assin Central, Assin Asuayem and Twifo Kotokyie in the Atti-Morkwa District and other communities in the Central Region.

There have been series of operations in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions bringing to the number of arrests to 1030, seized and immobilized 386 excavators, seized and immobilized 933 water pumping machines, 54 motor bikes seized, 60 vehicles seized, and 3377 Chang fa platforms immobilized.

Again, 87 small arms and 1382 ammunition have so far been seized from illegal miners over the period from 01 August 2017 to 07 February 2018.

The fight against galamsey continues unabated and Operation Vanguard would want to use this opportunity to entreat the public to feed the Task Force with information on illegal mining activities in their general areas of residence. We need to fight together to ensure a safe Ghana tomorrow.