At least ten people have been arrested for illegal mining activities dangerously close to the Akyem-Abomosu STEM school in Ghana’s Eastern Region.
The swoop was led by Dr. Hannah Louisa Bissiw, Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund, alongside Atiwa West District Chief Executive, Amo Johnson Anom. The well-coordinated task force—comprising police officers, immigration personnel, and the district’s anti-illegal mining unit—launched the operation from the district assembly premises.
When the team arrived at the site, the miners attempted to flee into a nearby bush. However, they were pursued and captured, resulting in the arrest of ten Ghanaians and one Nigerien national.
Those apprehended include Opoku Kwabena, Ebenezer Obeng, Felix Opoku, Mporumbo Manda, Kwame Baguaputie, Moses Dakura, Yaba Kudebila, Luumah Hassan, Ishmael Annor, and Armah Abubakar from Niger.
This crackdown follows the tragic death of a 7-year-old boy who drowned in an abandoned mining pit at Akyem-Akrofufu. The boy had reportedly gone to play near the unsecured pit when he fell in.
Deeply moved by the incident, Dr. Bissiw condemned the spread of illegal mining into residential areas, stressing its threats to lives and educational infrastructure.
“These miners are no longer hiding in forests—they’re mining within communities, threatening schools and displacing students and teachers. It’s unacceptable,” she said.
She also announced that the Minerals Development Fund is preparing to enforce a “polluter pays principle,” which will require environmental offenders to take financial responsibility for the damage they cause.
Echoing this stance, DCE Anom warned community members against lobbying for the suspects, promising that any such attempts would be reported to the police.
“We’re not entertaining any pleas. If you come to lobby for these suspects, we’ll hand you over too,” he cautioned.
The operation led to the confiscation of mining equipment including an excavator, bulldozer, water pumps, and motorcycles. Authorities have confirmed that all suspects will be prosecuted once investigations conclude.
