A group of angry youth in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area of the Eastern region, have questioned the essence of a ban on noise-making by the traditional authorities prior to the celebration of the local Ohum festival, while bulldozers and excavators used by galamsey operators make noise. They have further expressed concern about the behaviour of some of the chiefs who they alleged had allowed the galamsey operators to function and then turn around to say they (galamsey operators) are degrading the environment. They accused the chiefs of allegedly collecting GH¢2,500 from each of 10 illegal miners recently to condone their activities. These concerns were expressed by the youth on Sunday when the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, accompanied by security personnel visited some of the sites to arrest galamsey operators. The Security personnel arrested ten illegal miners and impounded six excavators and eight pumping machines. Areas being excavated include sites belonging to the Abuakwa State Senior High School (ABUSCO), Kibi Teacher Education College and the Kibi School for the Deaf. At ABUSCO, the illegal miners had mined a site for the school's football park and extended their activities close to one of the boys dormitories. When the minister and his entourage reached the School for the Deaf, two of the operators, Kwadwo Kesse and Kwabena Kuma were busily working and the military arrested them. The miners have diverted the Birim River about 100 meters from its course and dug trenches near the football park and a borehole for the school. The Regional Minister did not hide his anger at the activities of the miners and the inaction of the community leaders whom he accused of sitting aloof for their land and environment to be destroyed. “If I had my own way, I would have set fire to all the bulldozers and excavators so that they are not able to come to this area again, but the law must take its course,” he said. He said about 80 pumping machines and several excavators had so far been impounded since the beginning of the year when the military started operations on the illegal miners. Mr. Ampofo appealed to the Minerals Commission and the police to ensure that the laws on mining were enforced. The minister advised the commission to involve the district assemblies in the granting of permits to miners so that the assemblies would know the areas the miners operate and control their activities. He commended the military and the police for their efforts to curb the operations of the illegal miners in the area. The Akim Abuakwa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Simon Peter Asirifi, expressed shock at the extent of damage to the environment and remarked: "I don't know where the people came from to work here". Source: Ghanaian Times