National Association of Small Scale Miners’ task force has clamped down on some galamsey equipment thereby setting them ablaze in the Ahafo Ano South.

The task force conducted a major operation on the River Mankran in the Ahafo Ano South West District on Wednesday, September 11, targeting illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey which continues to destroy the water bodies.

During the operation of task force on Wednesday, various equipment used to carryout the illegal mining activities were left by the galamseyers upon seeing the taskforce.
  
With no one to arrest, the task force decided to destroy the mining machines left behind. The equipment found on the river, including dredging machines, were set ablaze. Other items such as water pumps, motors, and tanks were confiscated as evidence.

Mining equipment such as changfang, water pumping machines amongst others were set on fire by the task force.

Speaking to the media, the leader of the taskforce stated that such operations will be carried out considering the rate at which the illegal miners have destroyed some water bodies in the country.

He added that, the galamseyers most of whom are foreigners will be clamped down so as to put an end to their heinous activities.

“We will fight to stop the illegal mining until our water bodies are clean, we are not going to relent.

“People are claiming the siting government is destroying water bodies through galamsey, and government is also blaming small scale miners. Other politicians are also promising the illegal miners that they will be given opportunity to continue mining when they are elected into (power). All  these will not help us, that is why ahead of the elections, we the taskforce of the Small Scale Miners Association has intensified our fight against galamsey to help the government and Ghana as a whole.

They reiterated that the association will not tolerate illegal mining activities that devastate the environment.