Following operations undertaken by the Military (Operation Halt II) to prevent illegal mining on water bodies, a platoon of Naval personnel have been stationed on river Ankobrah and River Offin that the illegal miners do not return to work on the water bodies, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has announced. This is in line with the promise made by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to ensure that the water bodies are protected. The Ministry has also advised persons interested in undertaking small scale mining to contact the appropriate office of the Minerals Commission for assistance to be allocated places designated for small scale mining and also be assisted with mercury-free machines. “The security agencies will deal ruthlessly with persons found to have engaged in galamsey,” the ministry warned. The deployment of the officers follows the decision by the Minerals Commission and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to step up protection of the waterbodies following the recent viral videos of galamsey activities on Offin River.