Around 60 Chinese nationals were at the site and officials detained 17 who appeared to be in charge, along with some people from Congo and Burundi.

The forum sought to engage the community and ensure their active participation in the decision-making process regarding mining activities in the area.

The troubled mining sites were shut down on March 14, 2024, after clashes between rival groups of miners led to seven deaths. 

Illegal small-scale gold mining known "galamsey" in Ghana has picked up this year following an almost 30 per cent rise in global gold prices.