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RIVER
PRAH DABAOSE
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WASSA EAST DISTRICT: ILLEGAL MINERS ARRESTED
Four foreign nationals and their
Ghanaian partner has been arrested during a joint swoop between the Western
Regional (REGSEC) and Wassa East District Security Committees (DISEC) at
Sekyere Obuase in the Western Region.
The foreigners were two Chinese and two
Italians by the name Cincenzo Stayone and Cielo Dandiela.
The joint operation was led by the
Deputy Western Regional Minister and the Wassa East District Chief Executive,
Hon. Alfred Ekow Gyan and Hon. Anthony Emmanuel Aggrey respectively.
The exercise was in response to the
directives issued by President John Mahama to all MMDAs to raid in on all
illegal miners and chain saw operators from their respective jurisdiction.
Upon questioning the Ghanaian partner,
Mr. Prince Baidoo claimed ownership to the activities at the place and also
said the foreign nationals were shareholders.
When asked to produce permit of
operation, Mr. Baidoo could not produce one but rather showed to the team a
letter dated 2010 from the minerals commission acknowledging receipt of his
application.
Mr. Baidoo also denied that the company
was into mining and said they were only prospecting for special rock.
Briefing the press, the Deputy Western
Regional Minister Hon. Alfred Ekow Gyan said even if the company has a
concession to mine at the place, it was against the law to mine about 50 metres
to the Pra River.
He bemoaned the damage and cost that the
activities of illegal miners have brought to the region and the country as a
whole.
He further explained that due to the
activities of the illegal miners Government of Ghana and the Ghana Water
Company spends millions of cedis for the treatment of water for domestic use.
Hon. Gyan added that all water bodies in
the region are now in a sorry site to see, thereby eroding the pride that the
people take in such resource.
The Deputy Minister, however, gave a
strong worded words to persons engaged in illegal mining and chain saw
operators that the security council will not rest until they arrest all of them
for engaging in illegal activity.
In a related development, the Wassa East
District Assembly has met opinion leaders and assembly members to deliberate on
the president’s directives.
At the meeting the opinion leaders and
the assembly members agreed to support the directives. They also called for
frequent swoops by the District Security Committee on the activities of illegal
miners and chain saw operators.
The District Chief Executive for Wassa
East urged the leaders not to relent on their efforts to inform the assembly on
the activities of illegal miners and also form committees in their respective
communities to fight the menace.
He also admonished them not to be
selfish by releasing land meant for posterity for their personal gains.
Meanwhile the Wassa East District
Assembly has passed a resolution to arrest and prosecute chiefs who release
land to be used for illegal mining and chain saw activities.
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security personal at the side |
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Deputy Western Regional Minister,
Hon. Alfred Gyan
with back facing the camera interacting with one
of the galamsey operators |
