Blind man, three others arrested for ‘galamsey’

The police have arrested four illegal miners, including a 55-year-old blind man, at Beposo near Bosomtwe in the Ashanti Region.
The gang, led by Kwadwo Amankwa, the blind man, was arrested by the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the Ashanti Regional Police and a team of personnel from the Asokwa Division.
The other suspects who are in custody at Kuntanase are Safia Salifu, 24; Yaw Poku, 45 and Kwaku Akwaboah, all from Beposo in the Bosomtwe District.
Galamsey
The police retrieved some items from the illegal mining (galamsey) site, including generators, water pumps and mining equipment.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Bosomtwe, Mr Joseph K. Asuming, who briefed the Daily Graphic after the arrest said the assembly had information about the operations of the illegal miners, leading to the arrest.
He expressed shock that in spite of the efforts the government was making to stop the illegal practice, some unscrupulous individuals were still adamant.
The DCE said the police were working hard to arrest other members of the gang who managed to escape arrest.
Mr Asuming commended the security personnel for the four-hour operation, especially the Acting Asokwa Police Divisional Commander, Superintendent James Annor, who led the team; and pledged that the assembly would sustain the exercise to clamp down on illegal mining operations in the area.