Two people, including the alleged owner of an illegal mining site, have been arrested by National Security operatives for engaging in illegal mining close to the Agenda 111 Hospital project at Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region.
The suspected site owner, Yussif Ibrahim, was arrested after one of his workers, who had earlier been apprehended during a security operation, identified him as the person behind the illegal mining activities.
The arrests are part of ongoing efforts by the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to reclaim land extensively damaged by illegal mining carried out less than five metres from the perimeter wall of the Adansi Asokwa Agenda 111 Hospital.
REGSEC launched the operation after media reports in early July exposed the illegal mining activities near the hospital site. Since then, National Security personnel have supervised the reclamation of abandoned mining pits covering an area estimated to be equivalent to about 30 football fields.
Authorities say more than 80 percent of the degraded land has already been restored. However, security officers recently discovered that some illegal miners had returned to continue operations despite the ongoing reclamation exercise, leading to the latest arrests.
Deputy Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Alhaji Abdellah Umar, confirmed that investigations have begun, with both suspects currently assisting security agencies.
He stressed that protecting the Agenda 111 Hospital project from encroachment remains a top priority.
“The mining site is very close to the Agenda 111 project. Even while reclamation is ongoing, we still found some people attempting to mine. If we are not vigilant, they could eventually invade the hospital premises,” he said.
Alhaji Umar assured the public that security agencies would sustain efforts to reclaim lands destroyed by illegal mining and prevent further degradation.
Meanwhile, REGSEC has partnered Logesist EcoReclaim Initiative and Agricentric Ventures to fully rehabilitate the affected land.
The reclaimed area is expected to be transformed into a productive economic zone through a public-private partnership.
Chief Executive Officer of Agricentric Ventures, Gideon Nyameson, said the company will use microbial ecological research to detoxify the contaminated soil by applying bacteria inoculants that reduce the harmful effects of chemicals left behind by illegal mining.
He added that the project will also include a community-based programme that will engage local residents in cultivating oil-yielding crops once the land is fully restored.
Group General Manager of Logesist EcoReclaim Initiative, Benjamin Karikari Dwira, said the organisation is working alongside Agricentric Ventures, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) to restore the fertility and long-term productivity of the
