Bono Region: 14 Illegal Miners Arrested In Dormaa East District 

A 3-day joint operation led by the District Chief Executive of Dormaa East, Emmanuel Kofi Agyeman has resulted in the arrest of 14 illegal miners in the Dormaa East District of the Bono Region.

The operation that led to the arrest of these 14 illegal miners involved personnel from the Police, National Investigation Bureau (NIB), National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and Assembly Members.

At Supre, Gyankrom-Dormaa Akwamu, the suspects were busily engaging in illegal mining along the Supre River. The team managed to arrest five out of the seven illegal miners. The suspects include; 25 years Atanga Kenneth, Amalia Augustine aged 23 years, Amalia Michael aged 20 years, Alameya Joshua aged 20 years and Akasoa Rosemary aged 20.

At Kotodwe, Wamfie, 51year old cocoa farmer, Hinneh kwasi was arrested in his farm together with Godfred Amoako aged 24 and Adomah Jones aged 30 suspected to be illegal miners preparing to explore gold in a cocoa farm along the Apampramu river.

Speaking to Daily Searchlight’s reporter, Collins Fosu Appiah, the District Chief Executive, Emmanuel Kofi Agyeman observed that the action was necessitated follow a crunch meeting with the President in Kumasi.

According to him, when an operation was launched in 2017 against illegal mining in the district, they were able to defeat the use of excavators for illegal mining in the area, but some people have developed a different strategy called “korikori” which they use pickaxes, shovels and tools very difficult to see when they are in the bush.

“We have launched an operation to deal with illegal mining in the district. By the end of November, we will ensure that all illegal miners are flush out from the district. All those involved in the act will be dealt with.”

Items retrieved include; two pickaxes, one water pumping machine, four shovels, six washing carpets, cutlasses, one black plastic basin, a metal bucket containing a mixture of sand and water and a pair of wellington boots. The suspects are in police custody.

He commended the team for their commitment and hard work and appealed to the good people in the district to support them to eliminate illegal mining in the district.