There is a growing call on the Police Service and the Judicial Service to fast-track the prosecution of illegal mining cases to serve as a strong deterrent to offenders.

The appeal follows a recent visit by the Western Regional Security Council (RESEC) and Colonel Dominic Buah, Director of Operations at the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), to the Ghana Rubber Estate plantation, where they witnessed extensive destruction caused by illegal mining activities.

Although the plantation appears intact from a distance, a closer inspection reveals widespread devastation beneath the canopy.

Illegal miners have dug numerous pits across the land, while an estimated 10,000 rubber trees have been felled to make way for illicit gold extraction.

Management of the estate says the situation is spiraling out of control.

Despite daily efforts by the plantation’s security personnel to dislodge illegal miners, the activities persist.

According to the managers, more than 70 galamsey incidents were recorded within the plantation in the first quarter of the year alone.

They attribute the persistence of the menace partly to delays in the prosecution of arrested offenders and are therefore urging the Police and the Judicial Service to expedite legal processes to ensure swift justice and deterrence.

In response to numerous complaints, the Western Regional Security Council, alongside NAIMOS officials, conducted a site visit on Thursday to assess the situation and explore possible interventions.

The Regional Minister and Chairman of the Council, Joseph Nelson, expressed deep concern over the scale of destruction and issued a stern warning to residents involved in illegal mining activities within the area.

Meanwhile, Colonel Dominic Buah disclosed that plans to deploy NAIMOS personnel to the region are at an advanced stage.

He indicated that within the coming weeks, the task force would begin operations aimed at curbing illegal mining activities in the area.

Reporting by Isaac Hughes in the Western region