By Francis Kobena Tandoh
The police have arrested eight foreigners for engaging in illegal gold exploration without a license, confirmed a statement on Saturday.
According to the statement signed by Chief Inspector Thomas Akeela, public relations officer for the Bono regional (provincial) police command, all eight suspects, who are West African nationals from Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, and Nigeria, were arrested while actively engaging in illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey,’ and gold trading in the community.
“The Bono regional police command has arrested eight foreign nationals for engaging in illegal gold exploration and purchasing without a license at Wewe, a local community near Banda in the Bono region,” said the statement.
The police further stated that an amount of 23,450 Ghana cedis, or 1,861 U.S. dollars, and quantities of raw gold and gold dust, mercury, and a lighter used in gold processing were retrieved from the suspects.
The police authorities disclosed that all eight suspects were in custody, providing assistance with the investigation.
Illegal mining has been a major issue confronting the Ghanaian government, with many civil society organizations calling on President John Dramani Mahama to declare a state of emergency to be able to combat the menace head-on.
However, the president asserts that the government has implemented multiple interventions and views the declaration of a state of emergency as a final measure. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
Find the statement from the Bono Regional Police Command below;
