Opinion leaders from Kramokrom and Adjakaa, along with some community members in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region, have arrested four suspected illegal miners operating in the Boin Forest Reserve.
The suspects were apprehended during a community-led patrol after residents raised alarms over renewed illegal mining activities in the protected forest area.
According to the opinion leaders, the miners’ activities have caused extensive destruction to water bodies, farmlands, and sections of the forest, threatening both livelihoods and the local ecosystem.
They said streams that serve as the main source of drinking water for surrounding communities have been polluted, while several cocoa and food crop farms have been destroyed.
Following the arrest, the suspects were handed over to the Enchi Divisional Police Command to assist with investigations and possible prosecution.
Community leaders have called on the Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, government, and other state security agencies to intensify patrols in the Boin Forest Reserve to prevent further encroachment and protect the environment.
They warned that residents will continue to support security agencies in clamping down on illegal mining activities that endanger lives and natural resources in the area.
