A total of 18 changfang machines which were being used for illegal gold mining were destroyed on the first day of the renewed military operation dubbed “Operation Halt 2”, as part of the fight against illegal mining commonly known as galamsey [gather and sell].
Aside from the changfangs, 10 water pumps were also destroyed by the military on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
They were all found on the Birim River in the Eastern Region, where the first day of the operation started.
A task force from the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) is collaborating with personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces drawn from the Navy, Army and Airforce.
Colonel Tenadu said ‘Operation Halt 2’ was focusing on water bodies and the forest where illegal mining activities are ongoing but for now the directive and instruction is to focus on water bodies for the first phase after which the next phase will focus on the forest.