The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi has revealed that some of the illegal miners who were rescued underground of AngloGold Ashanti’s shaft went back to the mine.

According to him, the illegal miners went back the same night of the rescue.

“That evening when all of them [illegal miners] were rescued... that same evening, some people went there again to go and work,” he said on Asempa FM’s Eko Sii Sen on Thursday.

This comes after 87 illegal miners who invaded an underground pit at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine were rescued and handed over to the police.

The Minerals Commissions CEO stated that the security patrolling the mine asked some of the illegal miners to leave the premises, adding that some of them obeyed while others rebelled.

He said about 16 people were also arrested who had the intention to enter the mine.

In light of this, Mr Ayisi said while he sympathizes with a miner’s wife's request for her husband's release, he also believes that Ghana has a responsibility to protect people's property.

According to him, the economic situation as well the rising unemployment situation should not be used as an excuse for people to perpetuate illegality.

He said small-scale illegal miners are fond of breaking into mines belonging to large scale mining firms.

“They [illegal miners] are fond of doing that, they can go to the forest and dig unapproved routes to mines, seal and re-do,” he lamented.