Twelve illegal miners have been arrested following a two-day operation by the Bekwai Forest District of the Forestry Commission to clamp down on illegal mining activities within the Bosomtwe Range Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.
The suspects were allegedly found operating in groups of four within Compartments 1, 10 and 12 of the forest reserve, where they had invaded protected areas to undertake mining activities.
During the operation, the enforcement team immobilised an excavator and seized several mining equipment, including a tricycle, seven changfan machines, 21 pumping machines, two power plants, two power generators and an air blower.
The arrested suspects including Abu Naa, 40; Adakwa Mathew, 19; John Tibootey, 27; Nurudeen Issah, 26; Henry Peter, 42; Ruth Agbenyo, 40; Anthony Amadi, 21; Sesi Mclean, 43; Benjamin Owusu, 28; Richard Atta, 31; Sumaila Mohammed, 18; and Abel Nti, 29 were arraigned before the Bekwai Circuit Court.
The court, presided over by His Honour Isaac Apeatu, remanded them into police custody to reappear on August 11 and 12, 2026.
The Forestry Commission said one Abena Ahenkan, identified as the alleged kingpin behind one of the mining groups, managed to escape during the operation.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to protecting forest reserves and intensifying efforts to prevent illegal mining activities that threaten Ghana’s natural resources.
