Illegal Miners Flee as Bekwai Forest Team Burns Excavator, Changfans at Apamprama
Illegal miners flee as Forestry Commission intensifies crackdown on destructive mining activities in the Ashanti Region
- Task force burns excavator, changfan machines, and water pumps
- Illegal operators abandon site before authorities arrive
- Officials vow to protect forests and water bodies from destruction
District Forest Manager Ernest Adofo confirmed the operation in an interview with Adom News, stating that the team acted on intelligence about ‘galamsey’ activities along the Oda River within the Apamprama Forest Reserve in the Amansie Central District.
“We received information about some illegal miners operating in the forest reserve. Upon arrival, we found and destroyed one excavator, eight changfan machines, and six water pump machines,” Mr. Adofo revealed.
He added that the miners fled the scene before the team’s arrival, abandoning their equipment.
Mr. Adofo reaffirmed the Forestry Commission’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s natural resources, warning that illegal miners will not be allowed to wreak havoc on forests and water bodies.
“Our forests and rivers are national treasures, and we will not sit idle while they are destroyed in the name of illegal mining,” he stressed.
The Apamprama Forest Reserve has become a hotspot for ‘galamsey’ operations, raising serious environmental concerns. The Bekwai Forest District, however, has assured the public of its continued efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the reserve’s ecosystem.
