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Four communities in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region are appealing to the government to check the activities of illegal miners who are causing a lot of havoc in the area. Speaking to the GNA on Monday Opanyin Kweku Okyere, a citizen of Dwabo, one of the communities, said the illegal miners were not only depriving them of their livelihood but also exposing them to health hazards. He said the illegal miners, who are mostly foreign nationals, brought excavators, operate in the Upper Wassaw Forest Reserve and pollute the Ankobra River which serves as the only source of drinking water for the communities of Ayiem, Sraha and Muaso. Opanyin Okyere said the operators had left deep holes that had become death traps and so far four children had lost their lives in the past four years due to illegal mining. He said the illegal miners had extended their operations to the eastern part of Amanase and Asesenso, adding that the communities had seized 20 excavators from the illegal miners but they are still operating using excavators. Opanyin Okyere said attempts by the communities to bring the perpetrators to book had proved futile and appealed to the government and the Forestry Commission to come to their aid. He expressed the hope that the government would come to their aid by arresting all the illegal miners to enable the communities live better lives.