Interior Minister orders immediate transfer of Police Commanders in mining areas to combat illegal mining
The Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, has instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately transfer all regional, divisional, and district police commanders stationed in mining areas.
The minister explained that the move is aimed at replacing officers who have been in these areas for extended periods without effectively addressing illegal mining activities.
He emphasized that this directive is part of a broader set of measures to combat the illegal mining crisis.
Under the new policy, the affected commanders will be reassigned to areas without mining activities, and their replacements will undergo a three-month probationary period to demonstrate their effectiveness in tackling illegal mining. If they fail to perform, they will face similar transfers.
During an engagement with Imams and Zongo Chiefs in Kumasi, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing the directive despite pressure on the IGP to reconsider.
“I have ordered the IGP to transfer all police commanders in mining areas and replace them immediately. If you are a regional, divisional, or district commander in a mining area, you will be changed without delay,” he said.
“The new commanders will be transferred after three months if they fail to deliver results. We will continue to make changes until we see progress,” he added.
This directive underscores the government’s determination to enhance law enforcement in the ongoing fight against illegal mining, which remains a serious threat to Ghana’s environment and water resources.
