Accra: Mr Armah Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has commended Inspector General of Police Christian Tetteh-Yohuno and the Ghana Police Service for their efforts in combating illegal mining. A statement issued by the Police, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Minister made the commendation at the Global Mining Summit on Monday.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Buah noted that over the past two months, the Ghana Police Service has been engaged in a concerted effort to eliminate illegal mining activities across the country. The Minister highlighted the formation of a special Police Anti-Galamsey Taskforce by the IGP, which has successfully retrieved over 100 excavators, bulldozers, weapons, and Chanfang machines used in illegal mining in Samreboi and its surrounding communities.

The Minister further mentioned that several arrests have been made as part of this crackdown, with the suspects being processed through the legal system. He also emphasized that similar operations targeting illegal mining, known locally as ‘Galamsey’, had been launched in the Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Western, and Upper West Regions.

The Ghana Police Service, in a recent statement, reiterated its dedication to intensifying the fight against illegal mining. The service is collaborating with various stakeholders to safeguard water bodies and other natural resources from the detrimental effects of such activities.