The Ghana Armed Forces says it has commenced investigations into allegations some of its personnel are protecting illegal mining operations.
Recent media reports suggest that some members of the Ghana Armed forces are complicit in illegal mining activities though the military forms an integral part of the anti-illegal mining taskforce.
In a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs for the Ghana Armed Forces, Colonel Aggrey Quashie, the Military command says it does not condone such acts and will appropriately sanction any of its personnel complicit in the illegal practice.
“The Ghana Armed Forces has taken notice of media reports alleging that some of its personnel have been involved in providing security for illegal mining operations. The Ghana Armed Forces take such allegations seriously as it does not condone such wrongdoing if true.”
“Accordingly, a full-scale investigation has commenced into the allegations and appropriate sanctions to be handed out to any person or persons found out. The Ghana Armed forces also assure the general public of its unflinching commitment to the national course,” it added.
In March 2020, the government officially withdraw the military component of its anti-illegal mining taskforce, Operation Vanguard, from the field.
Operation Vanguard started as a Military-Police Joint Task Force set up in 2017 to combat the operations of illegal miners in Ghana.
But taskforce’s operations have been marred by controversy amid allegations of corruption.
In one instance, three soldiers of the task force were investigated for allegedly trying to extort money from illegal miners in the Wassa Akropong area in the Western Region.
