A task force established by the Wenchi Traditional Council arrested five suspected illegal miners, including a Chinese, near Wenchi Atuuna in the Bono Region.
The task force, who effected the arrest on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 4:40 p.m., also removed four excavators, two private Ford cars with registration numbers AS 2860-24 and GB 159-22, and two washing machines.
Nana Reindorf Oware, Special Aide to the Omanhene of the Wenchi Traditional Area, Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoampong Tabrako III, also verified the arrest to the Daily Graphic, that Osagyefo Tabrako led the task team to arrest the suspect.
He added that the suspects, the confiscated mining equipment and vehicles, had been handed over to the Wenchi police for further investigations and prosecution.
Nana Oware stated that the council had instructed the police to lead the suspects to fill up the galamsey pits formed by their activities in an attempt to reclaim the destroyed land.
He also called on the authorities to make sure the accused were charged according to the law.
"We want the police to take them in custody for reconstructing the devastated areas that they had destroyed and prosecuting them."
"The council is interested in the case and will pursue it to the Presidency," he added.
Nana Oware recounted how the arrests transpired, stating that when the task force arrived at the location, a Chinese man in a private car hastily picked up one of the suspects and sped off. One of the members of the task force followed them on a motorbike, located their hideout, and called the police for the arrest.
During interrogation, the suspects revealed the name and residence of the person who was behind their illegal activities. The council then summoned the person to the palace to respond to the accusations. Nana Oware noted that the suspects did not have any permits or documents that allowed them to engage in activities within the area.
He told Ghana News Agency that Osagyefo Tabrako is resolute to bring an end to illegal mining on Wenchi stool lands, as the practice is destroying farmlands, forests, and rivers.
In a press release issued earlier, dated January 5, 2025, signed by Nana Oware, warning was issued concerning the ongoing illegal mining in the area. The release ordered all illegal mining operators to shut down and collapse their equipment and machinery. Titled "Seizure of Illegal Mining Operations in Wenchi Traditional Area," the order also asked companies to rehabilitate the lands degraded to mitigate potential threats and preserve the integrity of the area before exiting the sites. Non-compliance would have dire consequences.
The release called on the public, especially the inhabitants of Wenchi and surrounding communities, to respect the land and adhere to laws governing the Wenchi Traditional Area.
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