Three suspected illegal miners, including a Chinese national, have been arrested in Nyame-Bekyere, Atwima Nwabiagya North Municipality of the Ashanti Region, sparking outrage among residents who accuse a top opposition figure, Michael Kwadwo Peprah, of orchestrating the operation under the guise of a legitimate mining company.
The arrests, which were carried out during a coordinated operation involving National Democratic Congress (NDC) executives and local security personnel, have been welcomed by residents who have long decried the environmental destruction and insecurity caused by illegal mining in the area.
Residents recalled how the illegal miners, emboldened by their perceived political connections, once fired gunshots at them after they raised concerns about the environmental degradation and pollution of local water bodies.
“They shot and injured some of us, forcing others to flee into the bushes, simply because we complained about their destructive activities,” one resident recounted, visibly shaken by the memory.
The latest arrests have opened a can of worms, with fingers now pointed at Michael Kwadwo Peprah, a man residents say is not only politically connected but also deeply complicit in perpetuating illegal mining.
Peprah, who is the President of National Concerned Association of Small-Scale Miners, Ghana (NCSSMAG), is accused of deploying the suspects to the site under the pretext of legal operations.
“This guy is a criminal,” another resident fumed.
“He’s been at the center of this galamsey mess for years. He recruits people, extorts money, and pretends to be fighting the very thing he’s promoting. If Peprah isn’t arrested, this will never stop.”
Residents are calling for his immediate arrest and prosecution, claiming his continued freedom undermines the government’s ongoing fight against illegal mining.
