The Commander of the Operation Vanguard, Col Williams Agyapong, has revealed that 311 illegal small-scale miners (galamseyers) have been arrested nationwide so far, as part of their operation.

He said in Ashanti region alone, 71 galamseyers have been arrested.

Colonel Williams Agyapong, in an interaction with Accra FM's Elisha Adarkwah, said when the Operation Vanguard paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene on Friday, September 8 2017, he commended the small-scale miners in the Ashanti Region for adhering to the directive of President Nana Addo to stop their activities.

He appealed to all Ghanaians to support the President's fight against galamsey activities in the country.

The Operation Vanguard, comprising 400 security men from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Police Service, was launched by the government in July to bolster the government’s effort at ending the illegal small-scale mining in the country.