Personnel from the Operation Halt II team have seized 30 excavators believed to have been used in illegal mining activities popularly known as galamsey

Phase two of the Operation which was initially a joint military-police team was relaunched on Tuesday 11 October 2022 to fight against illegal mining in forest reserves and river bodies.

A statement signed by the Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbi, stated that the “Operation made some gains within the period ending Monday 31 October 2022 by seizing 30 excavators, destroyed four (4) and immobilized four (4) others on site.”

In addition to the seized excavators, the statement added that the team also “destroyed 103 Changfan machines, nine (9) water pumping machines, five (5) generator sets, two (2) fuel storage tanks and other improvised mining equipment and structures and seized an additional six (6) motorbikes and one (1) motor king tricycle.”

The scope of the operations extended from the River Pra to the Birim River.

“The operations were conducted at Kade, Ofoase, Oda, and Pra Anom along the banks of Rivers Birim and Pra in the Southern Command Area of Operational Responsibility. In the Central Command Area of Operational Responsibility, the operations were conducted at Yawkrom, Agroyesum and Takorase along the River Offin. Following these successful operations, there has been a gradual improvement in the turbidity of these Rivers.”

Some eight persons suspected to be illegal miners were also arrested at Banda Nkwanta in the Northern Command Area.

The Ghana Armed Forces prayed the general public to cooperate with the Operation to rid the country of the various destructions resulting from illegal mining activities.