Interior Minister Mubarak Muntaka Mohammed has issued a no-nonsense directive to security agencies to intensify the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) without fear or favor.
Speaking at the 17th Regional Commanders’ Conference in Accra, the Minister warned that anyone – regardless of political connections – found obstructing anti-galamsey operations must be arrested. He specifically instructed the Inspector-General of Police and CID officials to detain individuals falsely claiming to act on his behalf to interfere with enforcement.
“I will not send you into the forest only to call back and ask you to exempt someone. That will never come from me,” Muntaka stated emphatically. “If anybody calls you to say I have asked that you should let go of this operation, please ensure that you arrest that person.”
The Minister’s tough stance comes amid rising public concern over influential figures using political clout to shield illegal miners. His comments signal a potential shift in the government’s approach to the galamsey menace, which continues to devastate Ghana’s environment and water bodies.
