A total of 106 foreigners from
Guinea, Mali, Niger and Ivory Coast have been arrested by the Northern Regional
Police Command at Tinga in the Bole District for illegally prospecting for
gold.
They would be put before court on
Monday on charges of prospecting for gold contrary to section 103 of the PNDC
law 1986 of the Minerals Mining Act.
The suspects who included: 99
Guineans, four Malians one person from Niger, one Ivorian and one Ghanaian were
arrested on Saturday at about 0500 hours while prospecting for mineral.
Briefing the media in Tamale on
Sunday, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ebenezer Tetteh, Regional
Public Relations Officer said the police and the Ghana Immigration Service
received intelligence information that the suspects were engaged in the illegal
mining popularly referred to as ‘galamsey’.
He said the security agencies met
the suspects at the site with 66 gold detecting equipment and when
interrogated, they admitted the offence and alleged that the Chief for Tinga
granted them the permission after charging each of them GH¢100 and provided
receipt to prove their claims.
ASP Tetteh said the chief has been
invited for questioning.
Alhaji Kulabali, the Leader of the
group told the Ghana News Agency that they heard of the availability of gold in
the country and journeyed from their countries through Burkina Faso and Hamile
in the Upper West Region travelling by road.
He claimed they had no idea of the
legal requirements for prospecting for gold in the country.
Source: GNA
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