The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, has stormed illegal mining sites at Bonsar in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of Western Region with security forces to flush out illegal miners who are working daily to pollute the Bonsar River.

Speaking in an interview shortly after the operations, Minister Joseph Nelson said the exercise will continue until the river banks in the region have been duly cleared of illegal mining activities and the water bodies purified to their natural states.

He said the main purpose of carrying out the operations despite logistical challenges is to take back the region's water bodies, absolutely taken over by illegal mining operators.

The level of pollution of the river, along the banks, according to the Minister, has gotten out of hand and has forced the Ghana Water Company Limited out of operations in the area.

"We have had reports about Galamsey activities along the Bonsar River, which is hampering the work of Ghana Water Company Limited to the extent that they are unable to supply Tarkwa Municipality and its environs with the needed potable water for their livelihoods.

“Today, I have come to see things for myself, and my worst fears have been confirmed," He remarked angrily.

The illegal mining operation sanctioned and led by the Minister lasted for two hours on Thursday, 10th April 2025. At the scene at Bonsar, three suspects who were caught red-handed at the various mining sites were immediately rounded up by the security forces accompanying the Minister and his delegation.

Describing the careless abundance of the illegal miners as reckless, the Minister noted, "It is so sad to see a river as big as Bonsar being reduced to this. Today, they are unable to process the water because it is so heavily silted.

This river is so heavily silted. The turbidity level is unimaginable. The colour I am told that is supposed to be 50-100, but it’s around 7000, and so, the cost is going up, and the quantity they are supposed to supply to Tarkwa and its surrounding area is also largely reduced".

Those arrested were Joshua Boateng, 20 years, who is learning to operate an excavator, Joshua Kyere Ishmael, 24 years, a Washing Bay operator at Bogoso, and Godwin Bagbetor
29-year-old taxi driver.

In addition, all water pumping machines at the various mining sites, solar panels powering electricity at the site, gallons of diesel and petrol, as well as the temporary sheds erected at the sites, were all set ablaze by the security forces who accompanied the Minister to the operational zones.

The Minister said, "Of course, there are some challenges to deal with logistics, and we will scale them to deal with this fundamental problem that is affecting the lives of the people here.”

He reiterated his commitment to collaborate effectively with stakeholders, especially the security forces, to tackle the issue of illegal mining head-on.
"It needs commitment, and that commitment I have, to decisively deal with this issue", Joseph Nelson concluded.