“Ekom Eya” Cooperative Small-Scale Mining Company at Bibiani in the Western Region has employed about 500 youth who were previously engaged in illegal mining in the area. Mr. Adu Gyamfi, Chairman of the Group who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at the weekend at Bibiani, appealed to all other illegal operators to register with the group to avoid prosecution and clashes with security agencies. He said the company would soon embark on an reforestation programme to give a vegetative cover in its area of operation. The chairman, however, appealed to the district assembly for the provision of a transformer and a new processing machine to replace the dilapidated one they were now using to process gold. Mr. Alhassan Abdul Rahman, an assemblyman for the Bibiani Zongo commended the group for not polluting river Amponsah, which was used for processing their gold products and which also served as a source of drinking water for the people.Source: GNA