Military protecting illegal mining sites – Amewu

Some Russians and Ukrainians in illegal mining activities in the Ashanti region have been arrested.

The foreigners who were operating at a mining firm at Tontokrom in the Amansie West District were arrested on the orders of the Lands and Natural resources minister John Peter Amewu.

The minister also ordered for their company Geo Professional Services to be shut down with immediate effect.

The illegal firm, according to Mr. Peter Amewu, was found to be operating illegally by his team which is touring illegal mining sites in the Ashanti region.

“We discovered that some military men are protecting some galamseyers. We saw two Russians and two Ukrainians who were operating under military protection. My understanding is that they have been operating for the past 25 years.

“And the military has been providing the protection as long as they been in business. Maybe the Ghana Armed Forces may not know that the people are working under their cover. The military will have to do the necessary checks before deploying men to provide protection for miners, ” he said.