The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has announced that some police officers who were believed to have compromised their positions in the fight against illegal mining have been removed and replaced with energetic and disciplined ones.
In an interview on UTV’s Mpu Ne Mpu, he explained that the Ghana Police Service was taking strong steps to win the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey”.
He said some officers who had stayed too long in galamsey-prone areas had become less effective, and it was necessary to bring in new, energetic and committed officers.
“I made some changes. Some of them who have stayed there for long and have compromised their position because of this galamsey, the first thing I did was to bring in people who are really committed to work,” he mentioned.
He said the police began operations without waiting for support from any external body.
“We started work in the Western and Central Regions, particularly at the popular Akonta Mines, where they were able to retrieve over 100 excavators and other items used for illegal mining. Our forest reserves have been totally devastated. I kept my men there for more than two months to sanitize the place,” the IGP bemoaned.
He disclosed that so far, the police had retrieved at least 178 excavators across the country.
The IGP revealed that special police teams had been sent from Accra to areas in Ashanti Region to work on the ground for weeks, even though they faced resistance from some local residents who rely on mining for their livelihood.
Despite the challenges, the IGP said the police are determined to follow the President’s vision of protecting Ghana’s water bodies and forest reserves.
He added that the police would continue to support the newly formed National Illegal Mining Oversight Structure (NIMOS), while also maintaining their own independent efforts against illegal mining.
“We will not stop. We are moving from region to region and making sure we fight crime and galamsey at the same time,” the IGP reiterated.
By Jacob Aggrey
