The Ghana Blue Water Guard has launched a swift operation to drive out illegal miners from the Bia River in the Suaman Dadieso district of the Western North region.
In all, six changfang machines were seized and other equipment destroyed.
The operation followed a tip-off received by the District Chief Executive of Suaman, Vasco Obour, that illegal miners were using changfang machines to pollute the Bia River. He swiftly organised a task force made up of the Blue Water Guards and police personnel in Dadieso.
Although the illegal miners managed to flee, the team was able to seize six changfang machines and set ablaze several mining equipment.
The DCE, Vasco Obour who expressed disappointment over the continuous destruction of water bodies by the illegal miners lamented that despite relentless efforts to drive them away, they continue to cause havoc.
“The river was beginning to regain its natural clarity,” he stated. “But within just two weeks of my travel to Accra for a meeting, they came back and polluted it again.”
Emphasizing his commitment to finding strategic ways to combat illegal mining in the district, he noted that “many of the rivers flowing into Suaman pass through neighbouring districts like Bia West, Juaboso, and Bodi so plans are underway to liaise with the DCEs of these three districts to tackle the menace from its roots.”
Currently, the six seized changfang machines are in the custody of the Dadieso District Police Command as investigations continue.
By Emmanuel Sowah
