The Forestry Commission has arrested 23 illegal miners, including four women, for illicit mining activities along the Oda River in the Ashanti Region, highlighting the environmental toll of galamsey operations on local communities.
The suspects were apprehended during coordinated raids at Aburokyere, Bepotenten, and Sukuumu in the Amansie Central District, where they were reportedly mining gold using prohibited methods.
Authorities seized 82 Changfan machines, 77 pumping machines, and 21 motorbikes linked to the illegal mining activities. In addition, 20 temporary structures erected by the miners were destroyed to prevent further operations.
The operation involved a task force of 31 Rapid Response personnel, seven forest guards, two Forest Resource Management staff, and one District Development Manager.
Officials warned that illegal mining along the Oda River has severely polluted the water, impacting both the forest ecosystem and local farmers who rely on the river for irrigation.
“The river, which sustains life in the surrounding forest, has been heavily contaminated by these operations, leaving many farmers without access to clean water,” a Forestry Commission spokesperson said.
The pollution has forced several peasant farmers out of work, underlining the broader socio-economic consequences of illegal mining and the urgent need for stricter enforcement to protect both the environment and community livelihoods.
