The taskforce against illegal mining activities has reportedly set ablaze fifteen (15) excavators in the Central Region.
A report by 3news suggests the excavators were burned in the houses of their owners in Ntafrewaso, Asamoah Krom and Awisem, all in the Twifo Praso District.
Government has renewed its efforts to clamp down on illegal mining, with the military directed to destroy all excavators on site.
Chairman of the National Association of Small Scale Miners, Alhaji Usman Musah, said six members of the Association were affected by the actions of the taskforce.
“They parked the machines in the house and the military came to the house to burn them. I can send you the videos right now,” he told TV3.
“You want to see the videos right now within seconds I can send you the video. We don’t know what is happening. They don’t say anything, they don’t ask anything, they don’t ask for document they used explosives to enter the house. They just throw the explosives and then they enter.”
He further bemoaned the taskforce’s decision to also burn the excavators of small scale miners who are licensed.
“We know that people working in the forest and also working in water bodies they are the people we are talking about but now here we are!
“People have the license working in small scale mining but at the end of the day the soldiers went into their homes and burnt their machines we don’t know what is happening. You have to ask the government what is his problem?” Alhaji Usman Musah added.
This comes after two Chinese nationals were arrested last month for illegally mining at a site in Patatwumso in the Western Region.
They were apprehended by the Wassa East District Security Council at their rented residence at Ateiku.
According to a report by Citinewsroom, the illegal miners were being protected by armed guards, when they were captured.
The District Chief Executive for Wassa East, Wilson Arthur, explained that the operation was undertaken by the Police, BNI and Operation Vanguard team.
