At least ten individuals have been arrested for illegally mining close to the Akyem-Abomosu STEM school in the Eastern region.

The suspects were arrested on Wednesday May 28, in a special operation launched by the administrator of the Minerals Development Fund, Dr Hannah Louisa Bissiw in collaboration with the Atiwa West District Chief Executive.

The team made up of the Police, Immigration officers and the Atiwa West district task force set out from the premises of the district assembly well equipped to carry out the special operation.

The miners begun fleeing to escape arrest upon the arrival of the team.

However, 10 persons, 9 Ghanaians and a Nigerien were apprehended from their hiding places in a nearby bush after the security team gave them a chase.

The suspects include, Opoku Kwabena, Ebenezer Obeng, Felix Opoku, Mporumbo Manda and Kwame Baguaputie.

The rest are Moses Dakura, Yaba Kudebila, Luumah Hassan, Ishmael Annor and Armah Abubakar from Niger.

The exercise was sparked by the drowning of a 7-year-old boy in an abandoned mining pit at Akyem-Akrofufu a few weeks ago.

He had gone to play near the abandoned pit when he got trapped.

Dr Bissiw, who led the operation explained that she was saddened by the drowning of the 7-year-old boy.

"Recently, a 7-year-old boy fell in a pit. These miners have actually moved from the forest into the communities, and it means that if we are not careful very soon people will be attacked, people will be killed so that they can get into their homes and mine.

This is a STEM school and they've actually mined close to the school and basically driving students and teachers out of the school and taken over the school land," she said

In an effort to ensure that persons who destroy the environment are compelled to be responsible for the cost of pollution and destruction, the Minerals Development Fund, Dr Bissiw said, will soon launch the 'polluter pays principle' to protect the environment.

"The Atiwa West DCE has the same principle as the Minerals Development Fund which is the 'Polluter pays principle' which means when you destroy the environment, you are compelled to pay," she explained

A number of mining equipment including Excavator, water pumping machines, a dozer and motorcycles belonging to the illegal miners were confiscated.

Atiwa West District Chief Executive, Amo Johnson Anom warned persons in authority not to attempt to plead for persons arrested for illegal mining in the area as the clampdown intensifies.

"Our community leaders will become agents of apology and from tomorrow going they will be marching into our offices and I am cautioning them; nobody should come to my office. If you come to my office we'll hand you over to the police and the law will take it cause," he warned

Meanwhile, all ten suspects, according to him, will be put before the court after police concludes investigations.