The Forestry Commission of Ghana has arrested Nana Kwame Sobre II, Chief of Manse, and nine other individuals for their involvement in illegal mining activities.
The operation, carried out by seven Rapid Response Teams from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU), targeted illegal miners at the Manse portion of the Anhwiaso East Forest Reserve near Diaso in the Bibiani Forest District of the Western North Region.
Coordinated by the Forest Services Division Headquarters and the Rapid Response Unit, the dawn swoop aimed to eliminate illegal mining that had not only breached the Reserve but also wreaked havoc on the environment.
The use of heavy machinery by the illegal miners had led to deforestation and water pollution, allegedly with support from influential political figures and traditional authorities in the region.
The RRU successfully apprehended 10 suspects, including Nana Kwame Sobre II, who reportedly recruited others into the illicit mining trade.
Two excavators and two heavy-duty generator plants were also immobilized at the site.
The arrested individuals, now at the Dunkwa Police Station, will be transferred to the appropriate Police jurisdiction in the Western North Region for court processing.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Samuel Darko Akonnor, Coordinator of the Rapid Response Unit, issued a stern warning to potential offenders, emphasizing the Forestry Commission’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation’s forests, wildlife resources, and water bodies for current and future generations.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah