The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of mines, George Mireku Duker has led a security taskforce to shut down an illegal mining site in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region.
George Mireku Duker, who is on a monitoring tour with the Operation Halt II taskforce in the Eastern Region, led the joint security team today, September 30, 2021, to storm the mining site and arrested some seven persons who were found to be engaging in illegal mining activities.
As government’s onslaught on illegal mining continues, the Minister and his entourage of security officials also decommissioned 19 changfans and other illegal mining equipment found on the site.
Honorable Mireku Duker speaking on the arrest lamented the hard-heartedness of the illegal miners and chided them for breaking the laws with impunity. He made the revelation that some lives have been lost at that particular mining site and that authorities have served the firm several warnings to stop operating.
Crackdown continues till water bodies are safe
The Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem averred that, like every Ghanaian, he is concerned with the continuous degradation of forest reserves and water bodies. He added that the crackdown on illegal mining is going to continue until the government and Ghanaians are satisfied with the state of the various water bodies.
“It’s very worrying that Ghanaians are drinking from diverted water that has been polluted by mercury. Farmers are also complaining that their farms are being destroyed. The Pra River has been diverted and polluted and I believe it’s time for all Ghanaians to come on board to help fight it. We cannot fight it alone. All hands must be on deck to fight illegal mining. I’m happy the security apparatus is helping us and I am calling on all Ghanaians to be on alert and help fight this. These people are going to be prosecuted and we are going to continue unabated.”
Mireku Duker
Touching on the arrest, the Deputy Minister warned that government’s fight against illegal mining is in full swing and that the seven suspects will be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others. He stated that the group was stopped and arrested because their actions were illegal.
The illegal miners, he indicated, are largely foreigners from Burkina Faso, Benin and Ivory Coast, who have infiltrated the communities, diverted the course of the Pra river and are mining with mercury.
“They don’t have a license to mine. It is in an illegal site. They must produce an EPA license before they start mining. Nobody can claim ownership of this concession because Minerals Commission has not granted any concession here.”
Mireku Duker
Eastern Regional tour
Honorable George Mireku Duker is on a tour of the Eastern Region to have a first hand information on the operations of the anti-galamsey taskforce. The visit will see him stage unannounced visit to some mining sites as well as waterbodies in the Region.
The team comprises members of his ministry, the Minerals Commission, and personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service.
