An operation to arrest illegal Chinese and local miners who have ripped the Akomfere forest apart and polluted the Offin River almost turned south.
Gun and machete wielding thugs held police, journalists, national security and the administrator of the Mineral Development Fund, Dr Louisa Hannah Bissiw hostage.
For close to 30 minutes there was a standoff just at the center of the Akomfre township.
Galamsey activity in the Atwima Mponua is rife, a large number of concessions are owned by foreigners, mostly Chinese. Host communities have turned into a gangster’s paradise.
On the midnight of Thursday, a task force from the MDF, led by the administrator, Dr Hannah Bissiw picked vital information from Akomfre.
Chinese illegal miners have destroyed vast parable land and polluted the Offin River. They live in fortified houses to conceal their illicit activity. A three-unit house fenced with a roofing sheet houses at least four of these Chinese illegal miners.
They fled the moment they had hint about the presence of the task force. About a kilometer away, the fugitives were caught, this time 7 of them rounded up.
Dr Hannah Bissiw led them to the very site they have destroyed.
“My biggest disappointment as a woman, as a Ghanaian l, as a leader would be to see these ones set free and somebody would now be demanding that President Dramani Mahama should give money to restore water bodies,” she fumed.
Accosting the suspects to Kumasi became messy.
Thugs numbering over twenty arrived on motorbikes wielding machetes and guns. The leader in a soft frightening voice demanded immediate release of the Chinese detainees.
“You won’t take them anywhere, release them now” the leader wearing a face mask ordered.
This exacerbated situation as the task force remained resolute. The thugs started shooting into the air as the standoff gets deeper.
Eventually, they agreed to lead the taskforce and the Chinese detainees to the Nhyinahin District Police Headquarters.
The situation was not different as the police commander whose name was not immediately revealed questioned the operation.
After altercation with the administrator of the Minerals Development Fund, the Chinese suspects were brought to the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters.
They were immediately arraigned before the Tafo District Court and have been remanded in police custody for two weeks.
