In a renewed fight against illegal mining, the minister for lands and natural resources has issued a stern warning to individuals and groups who attempt to mine on water bodies and forest reserves.

Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has declared war against illegal miners saying none, regardless of political affiliation would be spared if they decide to mine in these restricted zones.

During a tour to the Offin-Shelterbelt forest reserve within the Nkawie Forest district of the Ashanti region, a joint military-police task force successfully moved out all miners in the Offin-Shelterbelt forest reserve within the Nkawie forest district in the Ashanti Region.

“This is the only reason why we live, this is why we breathe. This is where we get everything that will keep us as human beings alive. So when you see this devastation at the heart of the Offin River which takes its source from here, what few of our own people are doing to us is that they have come to basically kill us where it matters most.

“My message to our young people who want to do mining is that there is a pathway for doing the right mining. But we are not going to spare anybody who ventures to do illegal mining in our reserves and we’ve made it clear,” he warned sternly.

He was confident that the move by the government to repel L.I. 2463 which grants permit for mining in forest reserves would help the move to protect the forest reserves since even the President would not have the power to grant such authority for mining in the restricted zones.

Meanwhile, some individuals have been arrested and 15 excavators seized.