Choicenewsonline Your Choice Is Here
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Amansie South district Assembly of Ashanti Region, Hon. Clement Opoku Gyamfi (CID), has pledged commitment to the fight against Galamsey.
He made this statement following the arrest of 9 illegal miners by taskforce of the Assembly.
They were arrested on the Offin river last Monday, September 5, 2022, with chanfans and wooden floating vessels which they were operating with.
This comes barely months after a similar operation was carried out in the district.
A taskforce, which was set up to patrol the Offin river, met the Galamsey operators who had earlier been chased away, but returned to the same area of the river to continue their illegal activities.
Describing these Galamsey operators as recalcitrant, Hon. Clement Opoku Gyamfi said, they have prayed for the police to prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others who engage in such heartless activities.
Reiterating his commitment to fighting the galamsey menace, especially on the river bodies, the DCE, who is also the Chairman of the District Security Council, said the district Security Council is determined to regularly pursue these illegal mining operators and bring them to book.
He, however, warned the Galamsey operators to stay off the Offin river and other river bodies before the law catches up with them.
He called on all stakeholders in the district, including the chiefs, Assembly members, security agencies, politicians, the youth, and civil society organisations, to get actively involved in the fight against the galamsey canker, and ensure responsible community mining.
He said the community mining initiative by government will ensure responsible small-scale mining to safeguard the environment and preserve our natural heritage for future generations.
By Simon Opoku Afriyie
