Galamsey Fight: 8 busted for illegally mining in Atewa forest reserve

Eight illegal miners have been apprehended for mining in the Potroase section of the Atewa Forest Reserve.

A joint effort by guards from the Forestry Commission at Kyebi and a local youth group from Potroase in the Eastern Region led to the apprehension of the suspects.

This development follows the recent action taken by the Rapid Response Unit of the Forestry Commission, which destroyed four excavators owned by a small-scale miner.

Isaac Noble Eshun, the Eastern Regional Director of the Forestry Commission, visited the scene of the arrests and stated that the operation occurred while the suspects were actively engaged in mining activities.

“On Sunday, we didn’t get the assistance of the police. However, a youth group in Potroase assisted the officer in charge and his men, and they were able to apprehend eight people who had encroached or entered into the forest reserve and had started mining,” he explained.

He revealed how some heavily built men allegedly hired by the miners prevented the officers from embarking on an arrest on Saturday.

“We got information that a group of people had made their way into the Potroase part of the Atewa forest reserve. It was in the evening so our officers who were in charge of the area approached the area, however, it was dark and we couldn’t do anything, they were two ladies and a gentleman besides they met heavily built people who prevented them from going in there,” he said.

He cautioned that the commission will continue to take a strong stance against anyone engaging in illegal mining within forest reserves.

“As the commission, we’re poised with our partners and stakeholders to clamp down on them. For the past two or so years, the commission has been clamping down on illegal mining in forest reserves as directed by the president and the sector minister. The menace has been looming in the forest reserves, especially in the Ashanti and Western and lately the Eastern Region,” he emphasised.