Fight against mining in forest reserves: 76 Arrested, 100 excavators seized

At least 76 persons have been arrested by a joint security team comprising the military, police and rapid response team of the Forestry Commission for mining in forest reserves over the past six weeks.

Within the same period, the swoops by the joint security team led to the confiscation of 100 excavators, three bulldozers, four pick-up vehicles and other equipment used by the illegal miners.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Brown, who made this known to the Daily Graphic last Tuesday, said the special operations were carried out largely in the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region; the Afao Hills Forest Reserve, Anwhiaso South Forest Reserve, Anhwiaso East Forest Reserve, Sui River Forest Reserve, Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, all in Western North region; the Yoyo River Forest Reserve, the Boin River Forest Reserve, and the Subri River Forest Reserve in the Western Region.

Dr Brown said the 76 people who were arrested during the operations have been handed over to the police for prosecution in accordance with the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), while the excavators have been put in the custody of the local assemblies within which the forest districts fell. 

Obstacles

However, the Forestry Commission CEO said 40 excavators which were seized by the security team in forest reserves had gone back into the hands of the illegal miners.

"What happens is that the illegal miners remove the control board of some of the excavators, making it difficult to move the machines to low beds.

When this happens and the security team is unable to immediately move the excavators, you go back the following day and the machines are gone. 

"It is in this regard that we are appealing to the President to modify the directive to the security team not to burn excavators.

The directive should be revised so that when they find it difficult to move any excavators out, they should be burnt to prevent the equipment from being taken over by the illegal miners," he said.
 

Release of excavators

On Sunday, March 23, this year, the Forestry Commission and the Enchi police arrested Wisdom Amuzu and three others for mining illegally in the Boin River Forest Reserve.

The team impounded two excavators found in the forest reserve, processed them for court, and confiscated the equipment.

However, a court magistrate, Lawrence Buenor Buer, granted the suspects bail and gave an order to the Forestry Commission to allow the applicant, Wisdom Amuzu, to evacuate the excavator and other equipment from the Forest Reserve to a place of his choice.

He further directed that the evacuation should be done within three days under the supervision of the Enchi District Police Commander.

Touching on the release of the two excavators to illegal miners by the magistrate, Dr Brown said that development was a big blow to the fight against illegal mining.

He said the Forestry Commission would not rest on that issue but would seek further action.

"I have referred the matter to the legal team of the Commission and the next line of action will be taken as soon as possible," he said.

Collective responsibility

Dr Brown stressed that given the complex nature of  galamsey, all stakeholders must resolve to play active part in weeding out the bad elements.

"The fight against illegal mining cannot only be won in the forest; everyone must play their role to save this country from this organised crime," he stressed.

He said the Forestry Commission would do everything within its means to protect the 288 forest reserves in the country.