The Bekwai Forest District of the Forest Services Division under the Forestry Commission in the Ashanti Region has arrested ten individuals for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities within the Oda River Forest Reserve.
The suspects are reported to have been operating across six compartments of the reserve before a three-day enforcement operation led to their arrest.
During the exercise, a number of mining equipment believed to have been used in the illegal activity were seized and immobilised. These include one excavator, seven tricycles, 67 pumping machines, 48 changfang machines, and 13 motorbikes.
Following their arrest, the suspects were transferred to the Police at Jacobu in the Amansie Central District for further investigation and processing.
According to the Deputy Regional Manager of the Bekwai Forest District, Ernest Adofo, the operation formed part of a sustained crackdown aimed at flushing out illegal miners from protected forest areas. He explained that the exercise was carried out by personnel from the Bekwai Forest District, supported by Rapid Response Teams drawn from four other forest districts.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Yusif, 30; Ibrahim Ishmaili, 18; Nurudeen Haruna, 22; Joel Atinga, 24; Zakari Subru, 20; Joseph Hamidu, 23; Gideon Apraku, 25; Issaka Mammudu, 28; and Amos Atingana, 22.
All ten suspects have since been remanded into police custody for one week.
Ernest Adofo emphasized the need for collective action in the fight against illegal mining, stressing the importance of sustained collaboration among stakeholders. He stated, “This war must be won.”
He further cautioned illegal miners to steer clear of forest reserves, warning that continuous operations would be carried out to protect forest resources for future generations.
Authorities also indicated plans to engage stakeholders to ensure the swift prosecution of those arrested, with the aim of deterring others involved in illegal mining activities.
