16 Chinese illegal Miners Arrested

16 Chinese nationals engaging in illegal mining has been arrested by the inter-ministerial taskforce in the Ashanti Region.

The task force during the operation at the Kobro forest reserve found 14 pump action assault rifle guns, a number of cartridges and also found one rare military M16 assault rifle.

Joy News’ Erastus Asare Donkor who followed the issue reported that head of security at the site, one Ex-WO Addo Boateng said they had permission to mine and also the site belonged to one Donald Ntua.

He said they had the permit from the National mineral commission to mine even though there is currently a ban on mining.

The reports further details that several trees have been fell and the ecosystem of the area was severely damaged. The Chinese nationals have currently been handed over to the Obuasi Police.

Ban on illegal mining

Large scale pollution of the country’s water bodies, farmlands and environmental degradation arising out of illegal mining forced the government in 2017 to ban the business which had been booming across the country.

The ban, government explained, was to help protect water bodies and other natural resources that had been polluted and affected by activities of illegal miners.

A joint police and military force was also formed under the codename Operation Vanguard, and deployed to some mining areas to monitor and arrest those engaged in the illegal practice across board.