Armed police and military personnel to crush illegal miners today

A combined team of armed police and military personnel will be deployed to various mining sites in the country to further intensify the fight against illegal mining activities.

Government last week hinted it will deploy a four hundred Military and Police joint team as first batch of the Anti-Galamsey Taskforce to enforce the ban on illegal mining.

It followed threats by members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) to return to mining sites and faced off with members of the security agencies indicating that they have the requisite documents to extract the precious minerals.

But the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, announced in July an extended military operation aimed at ridding small-scale illegal miners from the mining concessions of big mining companies including those stated below;

NO. NAME OF COMPANY LOCATION

1. Gold Fields Ghana Limited Tarkwa

2. Abosso Gold Fields Limited Damang

3. AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem

4. AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi

5. Golden Star Resources Limited Bogoso/Prestea

6. Golden Star Wassa Limited Wassa

7. Ghana Manganese Company Nsuta

8.Adamus Resources Limited Nkroful

9.Chirano Gold Limited Chirano

10.Mensin Gold Limited Bibiani

11.Perseus Mining Limited Ayanfuri

12. Asanko Gold Mining Company Esaase/Obotan

13. Newmont Ghana Gold Limited Ahafo

14 Newmont Golden Ridge Limited Akyem

There are also eight other mining companies and mining groups that have their own agreements with the Ghana Army.

NO. NAME OF COMPANY LOCATION

1. C & G Aleksa Diaso

2. GeoProfessional Services Limited Diaso

3. ATK Mining Group Tontokrom

4. Group of Small Scale Miners:

· Akonto Ent

· Fermont Investment Limited

· Dirradex Ent.

· Mannaseh Link Ent.

5 Owere Mines Atuna, Drobo

6. Yasmin Mining Group Konongo

7. Yasdan Mining Group Marfokrom near Mansiso

8. Kibi Goldfields Limited Kibi