E/R Minister orders release of four seized galamsey excavators

The Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey has ordered for release of four(4) of the excavators confiscated during anti-galamsey operations from parts of the region to desilt chocked drains which resulted in devastating flooding in New Juaben North and South.

A heavy downpour that lasted two hours on Tuesday evening has left parts of the municipalities submerged, causing significant havoc to homes, shops,and roads.

Among the worst-hit areas were Sentimental in koforidua Zongo, the SDA Hospital area in Nsukwao , Kenkey Factory traffic light, and Abrewa Nkwanta and the Eastern Regional office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) .

In response to the situation, the Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, led a team of officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Urban Roads, and works engineers to assess the extent of the damage.

After touring the affected communities, the team identified choked and poorly maintained drains as a major contributor to the flooding.

The Minister immediately discussed with the team and ordered the urgent release of some of the seized excavators, previously confiscated during anti-illegal mining (galamsey) operations, to be deployed under strict security supervision to desilt major drains and gutters within the Koforidua township.

“We are and have decided so many things. The REGSEC of Eastern Region has seized some excavators from our illegal miners we are going to do well to get fuel so that immediately from tomorrow we are going start dredging the chocked waterways” said Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister

The Regional Minister assured that undertakings will be signed before the excavators are released to ensure that none of them get missing.

The Eastern Regional Coordinating Council has assured residents of continued monitoring and proactive measures to manage the situation.