Only two of the rifles retrieved from the illegal miners in the Eastern, Western and the Ashanti Regions are registered, according to a statement issued by Squadron Leader Omane-Agyei, spokesperson for the joint taskforce.

The weapons include rifles, pump action guns, steng guns, foreign pistols, hunting rifles, locally manufactured pistols, single barreled guns and locally made shotguns.

Said the statement: “These guns and rifles were in the hands of people who serve as security to the illegal miners as they continue their illegal act. These weapons which have not been registered will not be traced and monitored if they are used for robberies and other criminal activities. The Joint Taskforce is calling on all citizens of the country to continue to aid Operation Vanguard’s operations to enable more of such unregistered weapons to be retrieved from society.”

Beyond the weapons, the taskforce which started work on 31st July, 2017 and has conducted 175 operations, has also arrested 442 people, including nationals of four other countries.

• Ghanaians - 377
• Chinese  - 61
• Togolese - 2
• Burkinabes  - 1
• Nigerians  - 1

Beyond the arrests and weapons retrieval, the joint taskforce has also seized 83 excavators, 150 water pumps, several other mining equipment and immobilized 1,350 Chanfan platforms used by the illegal miners who are destroying the environment and water bodies.