'We've Repatriated 107 Foreign Nationals for Galamsey, Fraud Since I became Interior Minister' - Muntaka
Accra, Ghana - 22 March, 2025 - A major crackdown on illegal mining in Ghana has resulted in the repatriation of over 100 foreign nationals, marking a significant escalation in the government's efforts to tackle the issue according to Interior Minister, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.
Speaking at the Regional Command Conference at the Police Headquarters on Friday, March 21, 2025, Muntaka noted that 107 foreign nationals have been repatriated since he took office as Interior Minister.
“Since I became the Minister of the Interior, we have returned over 107 citizens of other countries that we have found in fraud and in galamsey activities.”
He urged regional police commanders to take swift action against foreigners engaging in illegal mining activities, with repatriation being the primary consequence.
He also called for a collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies to tackle the issue of galamsey, a local term for illegal mining.
“I want to reiterate to the regional police commanders that any foreigner that we find in our forest, immediately call your colleagues from Immigration for them to be picked up.
“Because we have decided that any foreigner that we will find in our forest or involved in any fraud, our first option is to repatriate them to their countries, and we will not compromise on this,” he added.
Ghana has been grappling with the devastating effects of galamsey, which has resulted in environmental degradation, water pollution, and loss of farmlands.
To combat this issue, the government has deployed a joint military and police task force, Operation Vanguard, to conduct regular raids on illegal mining sites.
Source: Lead News Online
