Fifteen suspected illegal miners, including an alleged kingpin, have been arrested, while three excavators have been seized during a joint security operation at an illegal mining site near Sanso Methodist School in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.
The operation was launched after a viral video surfaced on social media showing illegal mining activities taking place dangerously close to the school, sparking concerns over the safety of pupils and environmental destruction.
The footage prompted the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, to direct security agencies to verify the claims and take immediate action against those involved.
A joint task force comprising National Security operatives, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Ghana Armed Forces was subsequently deployed to the area.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the illegal miners had been operating at the site for nearly two weeks without detection, largely because the school was on vacation and there was limited activity in the area.
The suspects have since been transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Accra to assist with ongoing investigations.
Speaking on TV3, the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Captain (Rtd) John Jabari, confirmed that the operation led to the arrest of 15 suspects, including the alleged leader of the illegal mining group, and the seizure of three excavators.
He added that the Ashanti Regional Minister has directed the Regional Reclamation Team to begin restoring the degraded land before pupils return to school.
According to him, reclamation works are expected to begin on August 3 to remove potential safety hazards around the school and ensure a safe learning environment for students when the new academic term begins.
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