The government’s anti-illegal mining task-force, Operation Vanguard has been defending the reason why it set the equipment belonging to some illegal miners on fire.
The taskforce has come under intense backlash for burning the excavators, instead of putting them to some purposeful use.
But the Commanding Officer for Operation Vanguard, Colonel William Agyapong told Citi News that the team was constrained by the illegal miners, who were bent on frustrating them.
“I must admit that it’s not part of our mandate; we are to marshal all available resources both human and material to combat this galamsey menace so it is not part of our mandate. However, when we learnt that these items have been burnt…we had a conference with the team demanding to know why that action was taken. They said that their intention was not to burn those items but they were provoked beyond their ability because these people have been playing hide and seek strategy with them. Whenever the taskforce moves to such areas, as soon as the operators see the taskforce coming, they will just immobilize the machine either by taking away the control board or immobilizing it so that we cannot even spark it and drive it to the designated places,” he added.
544 excavators moved from mining sites
The Minerals Commission in April 2017 said about 544 excavators had been moved from mining following the expiration of a 3-week ultimatum on such activities in mining sites.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources further ordered owners of such earth moving equipment to remove the facilities from the mining towns of have then destroyed.
Source: Citifmonline.com
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Too much lawlessness in the country. That is the veryreason why we arent moving forward as a country.
Now that the commanding officer has spoken what are the critics saying? Most of you critics don't know the real nature of the people you are defending because you have noteven traveled beyond Amasaman. Most of these galamsey operators are ruthless bloody criminals who will kill for gold and they are lawless. I saw that the team is doing a good job when I heard Abronye of NPP lamenting. He was thinking he could hide behind NPP and go untouched. Ogya no hye wo a wob3ba. Why didn't they burn all the 544 excavators? Commander, don't mind them after all those of us who think and understand outnumber the few senseless ones. Won de si a twa. No shaking.
Officer, please burn every piece of their stuff as they are running contrary to lawful orders. And shoot as many of them as you can, they are just low lives and criminals.
JUST LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT IN PICTURES. IT TELLS YOU THESE GUYS ARE REALLY DESTROYING OUR BEAUTIFUL VEGETATION AND ARABLE LAND AS WELL AS THE WATER BODIES. WE ALL USED TO DRINK DIRECTLY FROM THESE STREAMS AND RIVERS EITHER ON OUR WAY TO FARM OR BACK FROM IT OR GOING ELSEWHERE. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE REMORSE FOR ILLEGALITY? FOR THOSE SAYING THERE ARE NO JOBS FOR THESE BOYS SO SHOULD BE ALLOWED OR PROVIDED ALTERNATIVES, ARE THEY LEGITIMISING ARMED ROBBERY AND MURDERERS WHO CHOP OFF HEADS FOR THEIR RITUALS TO MAKE ENDS MEET? ARE THEY SAYING WE SHOULD FIND JOBS FOR ARMED ROBBERS AND MURDERERS TO STOP THEM FROM THEIR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES? AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IS ILLEGAL AND SHOULD NOT IN ANY UNCERTAIN TERMS BE CONDONED AT ALL. WE SHOULD ALL CONDEMN IT. THESE GUYS CAN CHANNEL THEIR STRENGTH INTO FARMING OR JOIN CONSTRUCTION FIRMS. WHAT ABOUT COMMUNITIES WITH NO MINERAL DEPOSITS AND RATHER ENGAGE IN FARMING? ARE THEY NOT HUMANS? DON'T THEY PAY FEES AND TAXES, DON'T THY BUILD HOUSES AND BUY CARS??? WE SHOULD BE HONEST AND SAY NO TO ALL BAD ACTIONS. IT IS ON RECORD THAT IF WE ALLOW GALAMSEY TO CONTINUE, GHANA WILL HAVE TO IMPORT WATER IN THE NEXT 10YEARS!!! AGAIN IN THE NEXT 10YEARS STRANGE DISEASES WILL BEFALL THE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE CYANIDE AND MERCURY USED BY THESE GALAMSEYERS TO MINE. I REST MY CASE.
Infact Ghanaians are too stubborn, what the officer is saying is true just burn them if u can't remove them. Concern Ghanaians supported you.
ARE GUYS WORKING WITH YOUR HEART OR AS PROFESSIONALS?