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THE ASHANTI Regional Anti-Galamsey Taskforce, appointed by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC), has seized 15 excavators in a swoop against illegal mining in the Amansie Central district, said to be in the lead, as far as illegal mining, involving Chinese nationals in Ghana, is concerned. Illegal mining is prevalent in the area and has resulted in high demand for excavators. The operation follows reports of the devastation of the Oda forest, culminating in the pollution of the Oda River with cyanide and mercury, which serves as a source of drinking water for a number of rural communities. The Taskforce, comprising the military, police and members of the Rapid Forestry Task force, made an unannounced swoop in the Oda forest last week. Some of the illegal miners attempted to hide the excavators in the bush, but they were taken away from the forest by the Task Force, while the illegal miners took to their heels. The impounded equipment have been kept at the premises of Len Clay sports stadium at Obuasi. The illegal mining in the area has affected residents so much that a visit to Bepotenten saw the poor residents buying water from Obuasi and Jacobu, because their source of drinking water had been polluted by the miners. The residents complain that Hansol Mining Company is the worst offender in the devastation of the Oda Forest. Concessions of international mining companies like AngloGold Ashanti, Rochester, from New York in America and other firms, have been invaded by these illegal miners or �galamseyers� in the area, while the local police personnel have coiled into their shells. The District Chief executive for Amansie Central, Mr. Emmanuel Dede Appiah, who confirmed the seizure, revealed to The Chronicle that security has been beefed up at the Oda forest at Bepotenten, to prevent these hoodlums from devastating the forest further. Contacted for further details about the swoop, the Public Relations officer of ARCC, Mr. Clement Kegeri, said the operation was in line with the Ashanti Regional minster�s crusade against illegal mining and to safeguard the forests from the illegal activities of miners. He confirmed the seizure of the 15 excavators and noted that small scale miners who are into the mining business with authentic documents are given the go-ahead, upon the inspection of their genuine documents. Mr. Kegeri assured that the exercise would be sustained to rid our forests of illegal mining. �We cannot sit aloof for people who have no respect for nature to destroy our environment, talk of tress, water bodies, ecological benefits and many more�, PRO Kegeri defended the action of the anti galamsey swoop. AGA SEEKS REGSEC�s PROTECTION Meanwhile, Ernest Best Anane reports from Obuasi that ANGLOGOLD Ashanti (AGA) has made a passionate appeal to the Ashanti Regional Security Council to support it in the fight to eliminate unscrupulous individuals whose activities affect the effective operations and the safety of its workers. Mr. Fred Attakumah, the Manager Director of AGA, made the appeal when the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Samuel Sarpong, toured Obuasi to acquaint himself with the operations of the company. According to him, even though management had made strategic moves to enable the company ensures the security of workers, unscrupulous personalities including �galamseyers� continue to intrude into their concession to attack some of the workers. He indicated that the situation is bad because these elements go to the extent of attacking security officials who attempted to rescue workers from the attacks of illegal miners. He, therefore, appealed for support of the REGSEC to ensure total security of workers and the entire management of the company. The MD outlined that the vision of AGA was to safeguard the dignity and respect for the workers, value in diversity, accountability and respect the environment. He said AGA had embarked on employee investment programme to help invest in small businesses in the rural communities. He said the company was working closely with the Municipal Assembly and the stakeholders for a resilient atmosphere to realize a competitive business of the company as they have environment conducive for education, agricultural, business and health services. He stated that through the community Trust Fund, initiated 20 years ago, they will continue to deliver infrastructural facility in Education, health and that the AGA school has1,300 students with 60 teachers, while GH�2.5 million was invested in malaria control program. Dr. Sarpong assured AGA of the support of REGSEC to make sure the company, as a major employer, goes about its mining activities in peace. The Regional Minister noted that since mining serve as the pivot around which most of the economic and social activities in the Municipality revolved, Obuasi could conveniently pass as the AGA and AGA as Obuasi and that any unexpected occurrence in the fortunes of the mine invariably affect the social and economic conditions of Obuasi and its people. He said the continuous fall in the international price of Gold coupled with other internal factors like the high cost of production will require the introduction of measures which will help resuscitate the economy of the mine and the Municipality and protect it from the adverse effects of that occurrence. He stressed that the collaboration efforts being made by the Obuasi Municipal Assembly and the AGA to identify and provide alternative sources of income for workers who are to be affected by the Amendment Programme of the Mining Company are all initiatives which require the support of all the people in the Municipality. Dr. Sarpong commended the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, the AGA and other Stakeholders for taking such bold initiative and urged members of the Assembly to continue to support the Assembly by sensitizing members of their communities on the need to co-operate with the Local Authorities in their quest to transform the local economy. He reminded them to know that apart from mining, other areas such as Agriculture, Tourism and services can be made to contribute meaningfully towards the economy of the region, and underscored that the efforts meant to diversify the economy of Obuasi must be supported and encouraged.