The Ankobeahene of the Tanoso Traditional Council, Nana Okofo Dartey Amoako Atta, has questioned the handling of equipment seized during operations against illegal mining activities in the Tanoso area of the Ahafo Region.
Nana Amoako Atta said he and other traditional leaders, youth representatives, assembly members, and the police had on several occasions visited suspected illegal mining sites and reported their findings to the relevant authorities.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, he said on one occasion, the team visited a site where a young man admitted that he was responsible for the mining activities.
According to him, the team found rocks believed to have been extracted from the site in the man’s vehicle.
“We were all there. The police commander was there, some youth leaders, nananom and assembly members. When we went back, we made a case against the man, but up to now, he has not been sent to court,” he said.
Nana Amoako Atta also recounted another operation at Subri through Tano, where they allegedly discovered an excavator and changfang machines at a location believed to be prepared for illegal mining.
He said although no one was found at the site, they documented what they saw and reported the matter to the relevant security and local authorities.
“We took videos and showed the police what we saw. I sent them to the BNI in the area and the MCE and told them what we saw in the forest. I also informed the police commander and asked them to do something about it, but up to now, we have not heard anything about it,” he said.
He said he later learnt that the Tano North Municipal Chief Executive, Pius Sampson Opoku, and his taskforce had arrested some people in connection with illegal mining activities.
According to him, the suspects were put before court and remanded for two weeks, while their equipment was kept at the Tanoso Police Station.
“After two weeks, they were granted bail and returned to town, but their machines remained at the Tanoso Police Station,” he explained.
Nana Amoako Atta said concerns arose when the traditional authorities later received information that the same equipment had allegedly been released to the suspects.
He said he subsequently went to the police station to seek clarification from the police commander.
“I went to the police commander to ask why he was giving the items to the young men when the equipment was at the police station,” he said.
According to him, the commander explained that the police were acting on instructions from above.
“He told us that the police do their work on instructions and that it was an order from above. We did not understand the order, so we packed the things back into the police station,” Nana Amoako Atta said.
He said the development had raised concerns among traditional leaders and other stakeholders involved in efforts to combat illegal mining in the area.
Nana Amoako Atta stressed that the fight against galamsey required stronger coordination among the police, municipal authorities, traditional leaders, and other security agencies.
His comments come amid growing concerns over illegal mining in the Tanoso area, particularly allegations of the destruction of farmlands, forests, and water bodies.
