Illegal miners ‘invade’ Akrokerri College of Education

The security and safety of infrastructure at the prestigious Akrokerri College of Education (Akrotco) seem threatened by illegal mining activities and alarming encroachment of lands vested in the College upon its establishment.

Nana Owusu Sampah, late chief of Akrokerri, released the lands for the establishment of the then Akrokerri Teacher Training College in 1962.

However, illegal miners have pitched camp in between the Castle Block (male dormitory) and the ATTC Practice School on one side and the space near the Asare Bediako Senior High school to extract gold illegally without restraint.

Besides, the illegal mining activities in the vicinity, parts of the land allocated to the school are also being encroached upon by prospective developers.

Dr. Ben Otchere-Ankrah, a governance lecturer of the Central University and an old student of the College, has queried the inaction of the traditional authority led by Nana Serwaa Bruwaa II, the Queen mother and Nana Kofi Berchie, the Gyasehene and Regent, to take appropriate action against perpetrators.

Raising concerns on Okay FM last Thursday, Dr. Otchere-Ankrah expressed dismay about the development and called on the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), headed by the Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, Regional Police Commander and the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), as well as local security agents to rise up to the challenge by protecting  the lands for future infrastructural expansion.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti South Regional Police Command has arrested 13 individuals for engaging in illegal mining activities on the premises of the Akrokerri College of Education in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region.

The suspects were picked up on Thursday, December 11, 2025, during a police operation that also led to the seizure of four water-pumping machines used in the illegal activities.

Those arrested were identified as Christopher Kabiobayo, 25; Eric Owusu, 27; Emmanuel Opoku Awuah, 21; Moses Terkpertey, 29; Emmanuel Appiah Harrison, 31 and John Okrah, 31.

The rest are Shadrack Sarfo, 23; Adu Desmond, 26; Abdul Wahab, 23; Elvis Abnce, 33; Sarfo Shadrack, 33; Nicholas Tetteh, 30 and Darko Yaw, 23.

DCOP Joseph Hammond Nyaaba, the Ashanti South Regional Police Commander, while addressing journalists at Bekwai on Friday, December 12, 2025 confirmed that all 13 suspects have been arraigned before court.

He cautioned individuals involved in illegal mining and other criminal activities to stop or face the law.

DCOP Nyaaba stressed the resolve of the Command to clamp down on such offences, stressing that his men are all out to clamp down on criminal activities including illegal mining.

 

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