The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and National Security have impounded nine excavators in an anti-illegal mining operation at the Airport Community in the Obuasi Municipality.

The excavators were seized by the joint security team acting on the directives of REGSEC as part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities in the area.

During an inspection of the site, officials from the National Security Secretariat, NADMO, the Minerals Development Fund, the Logeist Group, and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) assessed the extent of land degradation caused by illegal mining.

Deputy Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Alhaji Abdellah Umar, disclosed that three excavators found operating at the site had previously been disabled by the security task force.

However, the illegal miners later replaced the removed parts and returned the machines to resume operation.

“We are here today to come and see how degraded the land near the Obuasi Airport has been. It was last week that National Security and NAIMOS came to conduct an operation here, where we picked up about nine excavators and took parts from about three of them that were here.

"So as you can see, on our way here, we saw three of the machines still working. So we later realised that they were among those that were, in a way, demobilised. They also found other parts to fix the machines and get them back to work. That is what is happening.

"So we are also trying to get them. When we tried to get to the place, they also took parts away, so we are trying to see if we can get parts and fix them, then take them back to our yard."

Alhaji Umar said the remaining excavators would also be removed from the site to pave the way for a comprehensive land reclamation exercise expected to begin in the coming months.

"Now, the nine we have taken away, because they could not get access to it, they could not get the machines in a way. So, it's the same thing that we are going to do. Anytime we go on an operation, we'll make sure we get all the machines from the site into our custody."

He urged miners to support the government's land restoration agenda, noting that miners interested in participating in reclamation projects can obtain application forms from their respective Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Faustilove Appiah Kannin, said the Assembly is working closely with the security agencies to intensify the fight against illegal mining.

She revealed that AngloGold Ashanti has released 100 acres of degraded land, which had previously been earmarked by the former government for a Green Agriculture initiative and a military base.

"So, like I said, AngloGold gave them 100 hectares of land. And then, in 2023, the previous government—some galamseyers were using that place for galamsey purposes. And as we speak, in 2018, 100 hectares, and again, AngloGold Ashanti used some part of the land for a military base as well.

So, like I'm saying, you'll go and sack them today; tomorrow they'll go back.

The MCE appealed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to consider allocating the remaining portions of the land for community mining, arguing that this would provide legal mining opportunities and help curb illegal mining activities in the Obuasi Municipality.

“If we are appealing to the Minister for Natural Resources, because of the problems that we are facing in Obuasi, if they can use—because the land is very big, the land is very big. Even though they are using some for the military base, there is a lot more there.

If the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources can, they can come together and then give that place as a community mining for the good people of Obuasi.”