At Akyem Oda, police detain two foreigners and the sub-chief over a galamsey

For allegedly indulging in unlawful mining at Akyem Oda in the Birim Central Municipality, the Akim Oda Divisional Police Command has detained two foreign nationals and a sub-chief.

The three suspects—a Ghanaian sub-chief and two Yemenis—were taken into custody by the police at the mining site and taken to the Akim Oda Police station before being released on police inquiry bail.

The two Yemenis were merely there to install recycling machine parts and instruct his staff on how to operate the equipment that will be utilised for community mining, according to Nana Owusu Agyekum, the project coordinator for the Akim Oda community mining project. He refuted reports that they were engaged in galamsey.

Shortly after being granted bail, he spoke to the media in Asamankese.

They are Yemenis, the world is a small place, and if you’re a businessman who can produce a strong business proposal, you can persuade any investor to support you. That is how we were able to partner with them. We have tried so many different methods, but nothing has worked. Therefore, we made the decision to work together and purchase this machine so that we may get good outcomes without destroying our water resources and lands. As of right present, no one in Ghana is using this machine. The two Yemenis were merely there to install recycling machine parts, the man said.

Nana Owusu Agyemang urged the government to permanently outlaw the importation of chanfans in response to the galamsey conflict issue.

Anyone can enter the mining industry as long as they can obtain a piece of land because the tools and supplies they need are so inexpensive. The least expensive method of mining is illegal mining. The government must forbid people from importing chanfan machines, which are the least expensive devices used for galamsey, if we are to curb the threat that it poses. He advised, “If you stop them, they won’t have machines to do galamsey.