Fourteen suspected illegal miners have been arrested and various mining equipment seized in a special operation mounted in the Amansie West District during Christmas.

It was jointly carried out by a combined team of security personnel in the district and the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GHASSM).

William Bediako Asante, the District Chief Executive (DCE), said the suspects were in police custody and would be put before the court to answer for their crime.

He underlined the unswerving determination of the District Security Committee (DISEC) to sustain the fight to stop the destruction of the environment by illegal miners.

The DCE added that those, who had chosen to remain recalcitrant – defy the ban on the illegal activity, would never be allowed to have their way.

“Nobody should underestimate out resolve to protect the river bodies, forests, farms and farmlands,” Mr Asante said.

The DCE rallied the chiefs and people in the various communities to give strong backing to the ‘anti-galamsey’ fight, saying, it was in everybody’s interest to safeguard the area’s environment.