In a renewed effort to combat illegal mining activities, the Operation Halt 2 taskforce has destroyed 18 ‘Changfans’ along the Birim River in the Eastern Region.
This occurred on Thursday as part of a two-week-long operation aimed at clearing water bodies of all forms of mining.
The taskforce, which operates under the command of Colonel Eric Tenadu, targeted the Atiwa East and West Districts, where various sections of the Birim River were being used for illegal mining.
The seized ‘Changfans’—machines commonly used by illegal miners to extract gold from riverbeds—were immediately destroyed on-site. However, no arrests have been made yet.
Speaking to the media, Colonel Tenadu expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the first day of the operation.
He emphasized that the team’s primary focus is to halt mining activities on water bodies, particularly those contributing to the pollution of rivers across the country.
“We are pleased with the level of success achieved on day one,” Colonel Tenadu said. “Our key objective for this phase is to eliminate the use of machines and other mining activities that are degrading our water bodies.”
Operation Halt 2 is part of the government’s broader effort to end illegal mining, known as ‘galamsey’, which has devastated many rivers and farmlands in Ghana. With the Birim River being one of the most affected by illegal mining, the taskforce’s intervention is seen as crucial in protecting the environment and ensuring the river’s restoration.
Source:www.kumasimail.com
