Three Chinese nationals have been arrested by the Kwaebibirim Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) for engaging in illegal mining (galamsey) along the Birim River in the Kwaebibirim Municipality.
The dawn raid, led by a joint team of security personnel, resulted in the seizure of two heavy-duty excavators that were being used to devastate the river and surrounding environment. The operation took place at Akyem Abaam near Akyem Kade, under the direct supervision of Municipal Chief Executive Emmanuel Kofi Nti and Municipal Police Commander ASP Barlekor Bernard.
The arrest comes amid growing concerns about the destruction of Ghana’s water bodies by illegal mining activities. The Ghana Health Service has repeatedly warned of the dire consequences of galamsey, citing mercury, cyanide, and heavy metal contamination. A UNICEF report (2024) revealed that more than 60% of Ghana’s water bodies are polluted, with the Birim River among the most heavily affected.
MCE Nti confirmed that a manhunt is underway for several Ghanaian accomplices who managed to escape during the operation. He issued a strong caution to others engaged in galamsey within the municipality.
RelatedPosts
“I am cautioning illegal miners operating within forest reserves and on water bodies in the municipality to immediately pack out, as the team will stop at nothing to get them arrested and prosecuted,” he warned.
Under the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995), non-Ghanaians engaged in illegal mining face a minimum 20-year prison sentence and fines of up to 350,000 penalty units. The law also mandates the confiscation of all equipment used in such operations, in line with the government’s zero-tolerance approach.
The seizure of the two excavators forms part of a broader national crackdown, which has seen over 400 excavators confiscated since the beginning of 2025. Authorities say the latest arrests reaffirm their determination to combat illegal mining and protect Ghana’s rivers and forest reserves.
