A joint military and police operation is underway in Bui in the Brong Ahafo Region to flush out armed foreigners engaged in illegal mining near the Black Volta which feeds into the Bui Dam.

National Security deployed the team in response to frantic requests by the Bui Power Authority, managers of the Bui Hydroelectric Dam, for military assistance in dealing with the serious degradation of the environment caused by the "galamsey" operators.

Head of Communications at the Authority Wombila Salifu confirmed the operation to Joy News.

He said the illegal miners are destroying the vegetation cover in the area, causing “general degradation of the environment”.

Mr Salifu explained that the Authority fears if these activities go unchecked, their debris will wash into the Bui River “and we are going to have a pollution of the lake and in the long term a lot of sand is going to be washed into the river bed”.

Subsequently, Salifu said, the National Security was informed about the illegal activities and the negative impact on the dam, leading to the formation of the joint military and police team to flush them out.