The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Klutse, has explained the events leading to the recent accident involving journalists and EPA personnel during an anti-galamsey operation near Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.
Professor Klutse revealed that the team’s vehicle crashed while attempting to evade a group of heavily built, armed illegal miners.
“The operation we started on Wednesday, November 5, is part of a three-week plan by the EPA to combat illegal mining activities, especially those affecting our water bodies. We realized that merely stopping mining in the rivers was insufficient; we also needed to target the suppliers,” she said.
The initiative began with the closure of several shops at Anhwia Nkwanta supplying equipment for illegal mining. On Thursday, while heading to another location, the team encountered active galamsey activities near Obuasi.
“Near Obuasi, we observed illegal mining on the ground and inspected the area. By the time we arrived, most miners had fled. While leaving, we noticed excavators in the river, blocking tributaries and causing flooding. It was a very chaotic scene,” she recounted on TV3 on Thursday, November 6.
Professor Klutse explained that as the team attempted to leave, armed men approached, prompting them to flee for safety.
“We had military and national security personnel with us, but engagement wasn’t possible, so we had to retreat. During the escape, while speeding, one of our vehicles collided head-on with a truck carrying pipes suspected to be used for illegal mining,” she said.
She noted that some of the armed men were dressed in black with “CID” written on their backs. The military and national security personnel requested their identification, but the encounter became confrontational, forcing the team to leave.
Professor Klutse added that the team had received instructions from Accra to change their route due to security concerns, which required taking a longer path through the Western and Central regions to Kumasi. It was shortly before reaching Kumasi that the collision occurred.
She appealed to health workers to give special care to the injured journalists and EPA staff, emphasizing that they were on national duty when the accident happened.
“We thank God that everyone survived. Unfortunately, some sustained injuries: a Joy TV cameraman has a broken thigh, an Adom TV correspondent suffered a head injury, and some EPA staff were also affected. They are all receiving treatment, and we have requested special attention since they were on official duty,” she concluded.
