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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) says its officers deployed to curb illegal mining on water bodies and forest reserves, will not hesitate to destroy all equipment found at illegal mining sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The GAF made this known in a statement signed by its Public Relations Director, Eric Aggrey Quarshie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It said visits by military personnel tasked to stop illegal mining activities in various areas had shown that \u201cthere were still some illegal mining activities going on in some of the areas that had hitherto been cleared by Operation Halt II\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese illegal activities were mostly being done in the night or under the cover of darkness protected by armed guards, as used cartridges were found at the sites. The Operation Halt II patrol that accompanies the team was ordered to destroy logistics found in these areas,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ghana Armed Forces has commenced the second phase of a security operation to fight illegal small-scale mining affecting water bodies and forest reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A statement from the Ministry of Information said the exercise, dubbed \u2018Operation Halt II\u2019, is aimed at \u201cremoving all persons and logistics involved in mining on water bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n