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15 galamsey operators have been arrested by the Operation Vanguard anti-galamsey task force at Nankaba a suburb of Prestea in Western region.

This is part of government's effort in fighting the galamsey menace in the country.

Speaking to Energy FM, some of the small scale operators were peeved with the way the operation Vanguard security personnel are conducting their operations.

Some residents around the galamsey pit believe the anti-galamsey team did not come for an operation, but to rob innocent citizens.

They also alleged that when the operation was ongoing, some of the galamseyers were still inside the pit operating, but the team still went ahead to disconnect the light cables and blower machine which blows air into the pit due to the heat inside.

They say this could lead to galamseyers suffocating to death since there is no air in the pit.

90 Illegal Miners Arrested Already

Some ninety illegal miners have aleady been apprehended by the anti-illegal mining task force Operation Vanguard and arraigned before court in various parts of the country.

The miners were arrested in some illegal mining areas in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions within a period of two weeks. The task force has also seized some equipment from the miners.

The Commanding Officer for Operation Vanguard, Colonel William Agyapong said at the time of arrest “We have arrested as many as 90 suspected illegal miners. In Eastern Region, we arrested 29, Western Region, 58 and in Ashanti Region we have arrested 3. These are suspects and as I speak they have been sent to the various courts where appropriate prosecution procedures are being followed.”