The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced plans to prosecute individuals engaged in illegal mining activities in the Western Region, following a enforcement operation that led to the arrest of a suspected lead operator.
The suspect, identified as Abeka Gogo, was apprehended at an illegal mining site known as “Gyamfi Gye Nyame,” located at Adrezako in the Ellembelle District. The operation has reportedly caused severe environmental degradation to surrounding farmlands and a critical tributary of the Ankobra River.
The arrest followed a compliance inspection on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, during which EPA officials ordered the miners to immediately halt operations after discovering the site was running without the mandatory environmental permits.
However, when enforcement teams returned to the site the following day, they discovered the directive had been completely ignored. The operators had fled the scene shortly before authorities arrived, managing to move one excavator away from the area.
Severe Ecosystem Threat
Harrison Amfoh, the Deputy Director of Mining at the EPA, confirmed that the site’s operations were in direct violation of environmental regulations and posed an immediate threat to the local ecosystem.
“Their setup does not have any system that would ensure recirculation of the process water,” Amfoh stated. “So they take the fresh water from a tributary of the Ankobra which is nearby, use it to do the washing, and discharge the waste water directly into the wetlands.”
The EPA has confiscated several gallons of fuel, processed mineral residue, and other operational materials left behind at the site.
Equipment Evacuation
The authority indicated it is currently collaborating with the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operation Secretariat (NAIMOS) to clear the remaining heavy machinery from the location.
“They’ve been here for the past four months and they’ve been operating without the permit,” Amfoh added, explaining the logistics of the recovery operation.
“Yesterday we met three excavators and one generator set—it looks like a 200 KVA plant. But when we got here today, we realized that one of the excavators had left the site, leaving two behind and a wash plant. So we’re trying to make arrangements with NAIMOS to evacuate the equipment from the site.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
