The Paramount chief of Lower Axim Traditional Area, Awulae Attibrukusu III and some members of the traditional council have arrested two Ghanaians and a Chinese at the Ewuku galamsey site in the Nzema-East Municipality.
The move followed an operation by the Paramount chief and members of the traditional council to galamsey sites on a fact-finding mission to ascertain things for himself following reports from the disciplinary committee of the council.
At Ewuku, the illegal miners were caught red-handed at the site with their excavators and mining equipment on vast degradable land and have since been handed over to the Nzema-East Divisional Police Command at Axim.
However, before Awulae Attibrukusu III and his team got to the galamsey site at Kegyina, the illegal miners had bolted with their excavators leaving their working gear and uniforms at the site.
Speaking to the media, Awulae Attibrukusu III expressed his disgust about the wanton destruction of the land, water bodies as well as cash and arable crops which threatened the livelihoods and very existence of people in the area.
Awulae Attibrukusu III told the media that he had trumpeted the call to halt the galamsey activities to all his chiefs severally during traditional council meetings.
According to him, any chief who entertained galamsey activities on his land would have himself dethroned or suspended, adding “I therefore, remind the Chief of Ewuku and Kegyina to consider themselves destooled.”
The Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, who is the former President of the National House of Chiefs said he does not support illegal mining activities on his land and cautioned his chiefs and queen mothers once again to stay away from galamsey activities.
“I am committed to fighting galamsey activities and will leave no stone unturned,” he maintained.
Awulae Attibrukusu III called on government machinery and political leaders to help stop illegal mining activities in the country.
He reminded all those who condoned the galamsey menace that their actions were a risk to everyone in the country.
GNA