ADVERTISEMENT

Illegal miners back to River Pra

Officials of the Ghana Water Company (GWCL) run onto the illegal miners on the Pra River during their routine assessment of water bodies.

___6659342___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___6659342___2017___5___11___9___7345984719538_6716452946213

Some illegal miners have returned to mine in the River Pra at Daboase in the Western Region.

Narrating the incident, the Regional Communications Manager for the GWCL in charge of Western and Central Regions, Nana Yaw Barnie, said when the police were contacted, they were unable to make any arrest.

“We saw the people there, they were still working a day after the ultimatum. I even spoke on Citi FM concerning this same matter and after that, the people left and just last week Thursday when we went there again, they had come back. So we don’t know whether they are going to continue unabated.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“So we want the security personnel to be detailed to patrol the Pra River so the people will leave the place for the river to rejuvenate itself,” Mr. Barnie told Accra-based Citi FM.

He wondered why the police were helpless in the situation, adding that “maybe the police would not be able to swim to where they [illegal miners] were.”

Meanwhile, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu described the situation as worrying.

“If the police have not been able to effect arrests then what are they for? I think they have a duty to deliver to their country and they have been paid for that.”

“It’s is a long haul. It is a process and we must continue and as much as we continue to judge them [illegal miners], we are also looking at alternatives to make sure that we re-engage them,” he added.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT