Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Defence Minister
The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, says in the last six days, the military leading the fight against illegal mining, known locally as ‘galamsey’, have destroyed a total of 476 locally manufactured mining equipment called ‘chanfangs’.
The 476 represents the total number of chanfangs destroyed in both the first and just ended second phases of the ‘Operation Halt’ exercise.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday in Accra to update the public on the second phase of the operation, Mr Nitiwul also disclosed that 28 excavators, 267 chanfangs, 18 water pumps, one milling machine, two industrial pumps, 10 plastic fuel tanks as well as 21 brand new pumping machines were seized and destroyed.
He said the Phase II focused on the tributaries of the River Pra. “From Twifo-Praso, we took to the left and did part of the River Pra. That was not completed and continued on River Offin towards Daboase and ended there,” the Minister said.
He bemoaned the current state of the water bodies, saying they have been greatly destroyed by activities of illegal mining.
“Unfortunately for the people of Ghana, as the operation commenced, we realised that even from the reconnaissance, the situation was even worse than the first phase. From the first part to Twifo-Praso was better off than from Twifo-Praso to Daboase,” he said.
He noted that in the second phase, no arrest was made because most of the miners had fled from the site before the military arrived at the scene.
Youth mobilisation
Mr Nitiwul further condemned the move by the local chief of Kyekyewere, who mobilised the youth of that community to attack the 400 soldiers and prevent them from lodging in the local school.
His action stemmed from the fact that the military had destroyed two of his excavators in the course of their operations.
“People like this must be answerable to their communities and people. I just want to advise that this is a national exercise. Our water bodies are being destroyed and in the next five years, if nothing is done to preserve these water bodies, people will not get water to drink,” the Defence Minister noted.
He commended the military for embarking on such life-threatening exercise, and urged them to continue their service to the nation.
No taskforce
Taking his turn, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, noted that all mining task forces have been suspended temporarily.
The action followed complaints of harassment by small-scale miners from mining taskforces.
“What the military are engaging in is being dubbed ‘Operation Halt II’, and that is the current ongoing operation. Taskforces which are moving about the country harassing small scale miners involved in whether legal or illegal mining have not been mandated to do so,” he said.
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