The Chairman of the Small Scale Miners Association, Kojo Peprah, has been arrested by the Special Anti-Galamsey Task Force deployed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for obstructing an operation against illegal mining in the Desiri Forest Reserve, Ashanti Region.

Police reports indicate that Mr. Peprah confronted the special team during their mission to flush out illegal miners from the forest reserve, questioning the legitimacy of their operation and demanding explanations.

Following his arrest, Mr. Peprah claimed he had received reports that the task force had entered what he believed to be his legally licensed mining site within the forest reserve.

However, authorities have clarified that small-scale mining licenses do not permit mining within forest reserves, casting doubt on the activities of miners operating in the protected area.

According to the latest data from the Forestry Commission, the Desiri Forest Reserve is currently the only “red spot” among 44 forest reserves recently invaded by illegal miners.

Mr. Peprah has since been handed over to the Nkawie Police Command to assist with ongoing investigations.

Three 18-year-olds have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison for their involvement in a violent daylight robbery that left several residents of Boubai in the Asokore Mampong Municipality injured and traumatised.

The Atasemanso Circuit Court in Kumasi handed down the sentences on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, after Mamudu Issah, Samuel Takyi, and Alhassan Abubakari pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and seven counts of robbery. Issah received an additional three-year sentence for causing harm, but all sentences will run concurrently.

The robbery occurred on the morning of July 1, 2025, between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Armed with machetes, the trio and three unidentified accomplices, who remain at large, stormed the Boubai community on two unregistered motorbikes, attacking residents and robbing them of mobile phones, bags, and cash.

Swift action by local volunteers led to the arrest of the three suspects later that day at a hideout in Aboabo. The volunteers also recovered 10 mobile phones and three bags suspected to have been stolen and handed them over to the police.

The suspects were arraigned before the Atasemanso Circuit Court, where they admitted to all charges. Following sentencing, they were transferred to the Central Prisons in Kumasi to begin serving their terms.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Godwin Ahianyo, Head of the Public Affairs Unit in the Ashanti Region, commended the swift intervention of community members, highlighting the importance of public cooperation in crime fighting.

“We continue to encourage the public to support policing efforts and promptly report suspicious activities,” DSP Ahianyo urged.

Police say efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest the remaining accomplices.

Tensions flared in Manso, a suburb in the Ashanti Region, when residents and suspected illegal miners accosted members of the anti-galamsey task force during an operation to clamp down on illegal mining activities. The incident, which highlights the growing resistance to enforcement efforts, has sparked fresh debate around the accountability and effectiveness of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF).

Astute broadcaster and host of Kessben F.M. and TV flagship program KESSBEN MAAKYE, Kojo Preko Dankwa, has raised serious concerns over how MDF resources are being utilised, questioning why communities deeply affected by illegal mining continue to suffer from underdevelopment, unemployment, poor engagement, and weak environmental protections, despite the fund’s existence.

According to eyewitnesses, the confrontation between the task force and the aggrieved group quickly escalated, with residents accusing authorities of selective enforcement and neglect of local concerns. Some claimed they had turned to illegal mining out of economic desperation due to a lack of alternative livelihood programs.

In light of this, Kojo Preko Dankwaa who doubles as the President of Ghana’s most vibrant creative arts advocacy group, Foundation of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP) is demanding transparency and accountability in how the Minerals Development Fund is disbursed, stressing that communities like Manso — which suffer the direct impact of mining should not be left in poverty and environmental decay. “What is the Minerals Development Fund being used for, if not to protect and develop these mining-affected communities?” he questioned.

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