The Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has issued a stern warning that any foreign national found engaging in illegal mining (galamsey) or fraudulent activities in Ghana will face immediate repatriation.
Speaking at the Regional Command Conference at the Police Headquarters on Friday, March 21, 2025, the Minister reaffirmed the government’s tough stance on illegal mining and financial fraud.
“The foreigners that we find in our forest, what do we do to them? 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.
“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 stated.
The Minister also announced new measures to track and penalize individuals who supply equipment for illegal mining.
He disclosed that he has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to document and trace all machinery used for illegal mining operations by recording their chassis numbers.
“I have since written to the IGP that henceforth, any equipment that will be found either in our forest or our galamsey fight, the chassis number of that equipment should be forwarded to us, and then we will get the owner.
“So, if you are renting your bulldozer or other equipment to galamseyers, and you are staying at home, we will come and pick you up at home,” he warned.
The government has intensified efforts to curb illegal mining, which has led to severe environmental destruction, particularly in forest reserves and water bodies across the country.
