Three Arrested For Illegal Mining Along Birim River; Oda Mp Demand Tougher Action.
Three individuals have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities at Asomdwe along the Birim River, a suburb of Akyem Oda in the Birim Central Municipality of the Eastern Region, as authorities step up efforts to combat environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.
Speaking to the media, the Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, urged the government and security agencies to intensify enforcement and impose stiffer penalties on offenders to deter illegal mining activities.
Three individuals have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities at Asomdwe along the Birim River in Akyem Oda, within the Birim Central Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The arrests are part of ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, which continues to threaten the country’s water bodies and the environment.
Speaking to the media, the Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, commended the security agencies for their swift action.
He emphasized the need for sustained enforcement to prevent illegal miners from returning to the area.
Mr. Acquah also urged the government and security agencies to intensify the fight against illegal mining by strengthening enforcement and imposing stiffer sanctions on offenders to deter others from engaging in the illegal activity.
However, Mr. Acquah alleged that on November 16, 2025, the MCE led a joint security operation at an illegal mining site near the Water Treatment Plant on the Birim River, arresting Mawuli, Yeboah, and Adamu and seizing mining equipment.
He further claimed that, instead of handing the seized equipment to the police as evidence, the MCE diverted it to an undisclosed location, undermining investigations.
The suspects were subsequently released without prosecution amid allegations that the MCE extorted money from them and facilitated the release of the equipment, compromising the case.
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