The Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, has vowed that the ruling New Patriotic Party is determined to crack down on individuals responsible for the destruction of river bodies nationwide.

He contends that the move is necessary to curtail widespread illegal mining activities that have had a significant impact on river bodies across the country.

Speaking at a campaign event in a video shared by Accra-based GHOne TV, Dr. Ayew Afriye said efforts are underway to stop illegal mining activities on water bodies while still allowing legitimate small-scale miners to operate sustainably.

"We are pursuing them. The operation we launched this week will ensure that we catch these people. They realized we were winning seats in mining areas, so they brought in foreigners to mine on our river bodies. Is water now a problem?

"Is it just this month? Someone is orchestrating all this to make us stop the illegal miners and lose our seats, but we won't let them succeed. We will not stop them today or tomorrow. What we will stop are those mining on the river bodies," he added.

The NPP lawmaker pointed out that the illegal mining menace is a national problem that requires a united effort to combat devoid of political interference or machinations.

Dr. Afriye’s remarks come amid growing concerns about the illegal mining canker, with citizens calling on the government to take decisive action to prevent a worsening crisis.