Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the interior minister, has warned that any foreign national caught participating in fraudulent or illegal mining (galamsey) activities in Ghana will be repatriated right away.
The Minister reiterated the government’s strong position against financial fraud and illicit mining during his remarks at the Regional Command Conference held at the Police Headquarters on Friday, March 21, 2025.
“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.
Additionally, the Minister announced expanded initiatives to identify and punish those who provide equipment for illegal mining.
He revealed that he has instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to identify and track down all equipment used in illegal mining activities by noting its chassis number.
“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.