The 200 military personnel deployed to remove illegal miners on Ghana’s water bodies have destroyed nine excavators, 127 changfans, and one fuel pump.
The Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, revealed this at a press briefing on Friday, April 30, 2021, as he details the roadmap on the fight against galamsey.
The operation dubbed ‘Operation Halt’ and authorised by President Nana Akufo-Addo begun at 0600 hours on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, on River Pra in the Central and Western Regions of Ghana.
Mr Nitiwul, in his briefing, warned that the armed military men will take action against persons who are found to have returned to the site.
“It is noted that since the operation commenced on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, to Thursday, April 29, 2021, the troops have destroyed a good deal of equipment including nine excavators and 127 changfans,” he announced.
Others, he said, included 8×24 plate batteries, one pump action gun case, a generator, a Huawei phone, a chainsaw machine, eight raincoats, fuel filters, non-citizen Ghana cards, two drilling equipment, and two boots.
He indicated the seized items deemed necessary by the police will be used as exhibits in court for prosecution with others to be destroyed.
He also noted that the team will continue to operate and patrol in galamsey-endemic regions, where major river bodies and forest reserves have been destroyed,