The Western Regional Anti-Galamsey Task Force has pledged to intensify its patrol and surveillance operations to ward off illegal mining (galamsey) activities along the Ankobra River.   

The Western Regional National Security Liaison Officer and Leader of the team, Brigadier General Musah Whajah (Rtd), said the task force would continue to conduct persistent day and night patrols along the entire stretch of the river to restore it to its original state.

He said this when the team conducted an operation on the Ankobra River near Ampansie in the Evalue-Adjomoro-Gwira Municipality of the Western region.   

As part of the exercise, the team seized a canoe loaded with four changfang machines and destroyed about 10 makeshift structures, while the illegal miners fled the scene upon their arrival.   

Brig. Gen. Whajah (Rtd) issued a stern warning to illegal miners operating on the Ankobra River and its banks, stating that they would not relent in their patrolling efforts, even during the Christmas festivities, to ensure the river was protected from the galamsey menace.   

He said: “We are going to make sure that they do not use the Ankobra to celebrate this Christmas, and this is a warning to them that they should not take anything for granted.”  

He noted that a sustained security presence was an essential measure to secure the water body and return the Ankobra River to its healthy state.