Galamsey Resumes: Illegal Miners Pollute Birim River Days After Military Crackdown.
Just four days after the military's Operation Halt took decisive action against illegal mining (galamsey) activities, the Birim River in Anyinam has returned to its polluted, murky brown state. The government deployed over 100 armed soldiers to clear miners from key water bodies, including the Birim River, where extensive pollution has become a serious issue.On October 10, military forces, in collaboration with the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, seized and destroyed three changfan machines used by illegal miners along the riverbank. Despite this effort, the pollution has quickly resurfaced, raising concerns over the sustainability of anti-galamsey operations.The task force also targeted other illegal mining sites, destroying additional changfan machines and water-pumping equipment along the Pra River in the Central Region. This ongoing battle to save Ghana’s water bodies continues as authorities grapple with the persistent illegal mining problem.