The Amansie West District Security Council (DISEC) has arrested twenty-one foreign nationals, all identified as Burkinabes, for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities on river bodies at Esaase Bontefufuo in the Ashanti Region.
The arrests followed a special intelligence-led operation carried out by the District Police Command and the Formed Police Unit (FPU) under the leadership of ASP Solomon Adusei Berko. The coordinated raid targeted areas where significant environmental pollution and destruction had been reported.
“We moved in swiftly upon receiving credible information and arrested the twenty-one Burkinabes actively engaged in mining operations on the water bodies,” ASP Berko said.
Several mining tools and equipment were confiscated during the operation. ASP Berko explained that the illegal activities had caused severe environmental damage, including the destruction of vegetation and farmlands, as well as the contamination of water bodies that provide vital drinking water for nearby communities.
He warned that such activities would not be tolerated and assured the public of continued security presence in the affected areas.
Prince Manu Morris, District Chief Executive for Amansie West and Chairman of DISEC, commended the swift action of the security forces and reiterated the Assembly’s commitment to ending illegal mining in the district. He stated that DISEC would intensify surveillance in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Immigration Service.
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“We cannot allow the destruction of our environment and water bodies to continue. Whether local or foreign, anyone found engaging in these acts will face the full rigours of the law,” Mr Morris stressed, appealing to residents to support authorities by reporting suspicious activities in their communities.
