Illegal Mining: 10 Persons Arrested In Atewa Forest Reserve

The Kyebi District Office of the Forestry Commission has arrested 10 illegal miners operating within the Asiakwa portion of Atewa Forest Reserve in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region. The 10 [ten] who were busily engaging in illegal mining at 2am on Friday [February 2, 2023] dawn were surrounded by the forestry guards who pounced on them after picking up intelligence about their illegal activities.

This latest arrest comes just a few days after the commission set ablaze an excavator and some mining equipment belonging to illegal miners who invaded the Segyimase portion of the Atewa forest reserve. The Kyebi District Forestry Manager Emmanuel Antwi said the commission will stop at nothing but ensure the prosecution of all encroachers.

“Upon previous encounter with illegal miners, one person died, and we also know that where somebody has died. For illegal miners they believe that the gold will still appear in numbers. So yesterday in the night at about 2:am I dispatched my field team to Asiakwa portion of the Atewa forest, especially where an illegal miner died. When my guys got there, they chanced on these people seriously mining. They were able to surround them, and were able to apprehend them,” Mr. Antwi said.