An emerging settlement known as “Operator” in the Banda District of the Bono Region has been reduced to rubble, leaving more than 1,000 residents—mostly women and children—displaced, following a joint military-police anti-galamsey operation.
The dawn raid, led by the Bono Regional Coordinating Council, targeted what authorities described as an unauthorized illegal mining hub. The operation resulted in the burning of over 150 makeshift structures, seizure of 11 excavators, and the destruction of eight Chanfan machines. Authorities also impounded 15 motorbikes, 10 tricycles, and confiscated several gallons of fuel.
While officials praised the operation as a significant step in combating illegal mining, the human cost has triggered concerns.
“The Operator community is now a dead town,” said Mr. Joseph Addae Akwaboa, the Bono Regional Minister, who led the crackdown. He vowed more such operations across the region and promised that those found guilty among the 31 suspects arrested would face prosecution.
However, the sudden collapse of the settlement has left many struggling to cope with the fallout.
Madam Abiba, a single mother of four who ran the area’s most popular drinking bar, expressed deep worry about the impact on her livelihood. “I’ve lived and worked here for five years. I used this business to take care of my children. Now everything is gone,” she told the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
Many residents say while they understand the need to curb illegal mining, the operation has rendered them homeless and jobless overnight, with no immediate relief or resettlement plan.
Community members, particularly women, have appealed to government to roll out alternative livelihood programmes and job creation initiatives for displaced residents and unemployed youth who had turned to small-scale mining as a means of survival.
Meanwhile, the Bono Regional Minister noted that a report would be submitted to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to explore land reclamation options and possibly chart a sustainable path forward.
As the dust settles over “Operator,” what remains is not just the remnants of a mining outpost, but the shattered lives of hundreds who now face an uncertain future.
