13 Illegal  Miners  arrested, 60 Mining Equipment burnt By GNASSM Taskforce

13 illegal miners have been arrested by the task force of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM).

The suspects including some West African Nationals were arrested at Accra Village, Mampong, Nkatieso, Mokyere, and other places operating on the Birim River.

GNASSM Taskforce commander, Don Chebe said the operations took place on Thursday and Friday respectively. He said close to a hundred(100) chanfan and water pumping machines were burnt while others were retrieved.

The Vice President and Secretary of GNASSM, Sampson Kofi Wiredu and Godwin Armah respectively said the operation is to augment effort by the government to clamp down on illegal miners whose activities continue to destroy the ecosystem and wreak environmental hazards.

The Communication Director of GASSM, Razak Alhasan said, illegal mining activities continue to threaten the water quality of the Birim River in the Eastern Region, therefore, every effort will be made by the Association to protect it.

Razak Alhassan stated that the association together with the security has deployed a  strategy to fish out financiers of these illegal miners.

Meanwhile, a total of about 27 pieces of illegal mining equipment were burnt in a special joint Military and Police Operation led by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon George Mireku Duker in Eastern and Ashanti Regions.

The burnt equipment includes 19 chanfan machines and eight(8) water pumping machines.

The team also burnt a number of tents that provides shelter for the illegal miners.

Freeman Kroyekpor