A joint operation carried out Wednesday dawn by the police and military have led to the arrest of hundreds of suspects in the Ashanti, Ahafo, and Volta Regions.
The special operation which was carried at dawn around 4 am, was carried out in communities such as Dadwene, Obuasi and Anwona in the Ashanti Region, Ehi in the Volta Region and Hwediem, Kenyase, Goaso and Maharni in the Ahafo Region.
The heavily armed officers stormed the communities to arrest the suspects, who are all men.
The personnel cordoned off the communities and moved in groups to arrest the suspects in their respective houses under the cover of darkness.
Statement
A statement issued by the acting Director-General of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Captain {Navy) Veronica Adzo Arhin, said the operation was aimed at arresting identified persons involved in the recent attacks on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) team, police officers and a team from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), including journalists.
The attack on the EPA team, which included journalists at Dadwene, forced the team to retreat while clamping down on illegal mining activities in the area.
While returning to Kumasi, the media team were involved in an accident at Afari, with occupants sustaining varying degrees of injury.
The Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service warned that any individual or groups that attempt to obstruct the operations of any of the security services in their anti galamsey operations or in the performance of any other lawful duty would face the full force of the law.
They assured the general public that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure the safety and security of well-meaning inhabitants of the affected communities and towns
It said “we wish to encourage them to remain calm and go about their regular duties without fear or panic”.
The security services commended civil society groups, the media and other individuals for the condemnation of the unwarranted attacks and disruption of the activities of the security forces in their anti-galamsey drive.
Further, they called for the continuous cooperation of the general public in the fight against illegal mining.
Relations of the suspects arrested in Dadwene and Anwona in the Ashanti Region were followed by their wives and children as they entered waiting vehicles and to transported to the Police Training School at Patasi in Kumasi.
Remain professional
Addressing the officers earlier, the Director-General, Technical, Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr Sayibu Pabi Gariba entreated the officers to be extremely professional in the execution of the task.
He said “you are expected to be firm, robust and execute the task according to the briefing you have been given”, saying, “ the Inspector General of Police expects you to be professional and work as a team with the military personnel”.
Writer’s email;gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh
