Missing excavators: Suspended NPP chair, 5 others granted bail

The six persons arrested in connection with some missing excavators have been granted bail by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

They have since been cautioned and are expected to report to the Criminal Investigations Department, reports say.

The suspects include a suspended Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Ekow Ewusi.

The others are Frederick Ewusi, Joel Asamoah, Adam Haruna, Frank Gyan and John Arhin.

The suspects have since been cautioned on the offence of stealing and abetment of stealing.

Background

The suspects, according to the police, are being interrogated over their alleged role in some missing excavators and other equipment seized from illegal mining operators.

Their arrest follows a request made by Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Prof Frimpong Boateng to investigate the disappearance of the excavators.

The letter written by the sector Minister said, Mr Ekow Ewusi was contracted to cart excavators and other vehicles and pieces of equipment seized by Operation Vanguard task force for safekeeping.

Galamsey back in full swing; forests, rivers under siege

Popularly called Galamsey, it appears the fight against illegal mining in Ghana is not paying off as illegal miners continue to pillage Forest Reserves and pollute water bodies for gold.

In the Oda River Forest Reserve in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti region, seven hectors of the 16,000 hectors of Forest Reserve have been wiped out by Chinese illegal miners and their Ghanaian counterparts.

Initial swoops by personnel from the Forestry Commission led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals who were detained at the Jacobu Police Station for 48 hours.

The two have since been granted bail as investigations continue.

Early this year, an unannounced visit to the forest by Ghana’s Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Kweku Asumah Kyeremeh followed a tip-off by a whistle-blower about how the Forest has come under siege following the invasion of illegal miners.