In a bold move to combat illegal mining and fraudulent activities, Ghana’s Interior Minister, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, has revealed that over 107 foreign nationals have been repatriated since he assumed office.
Speaking at the Regional Command Conference, Muntaka emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal mining, also known as galamsey, and fraudulent practices.
“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,” he stated.
Muntaka urged regional police commanders to take swift action against foreigners found engaging in these activities, ensuring their immediate repatriation.
“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,” he directed.
The Interior Minister’s stance on repatriation is clear and uncompromising. “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 added.
As Ghana continues to grapple with the challenges of illegal mining and fraud, Muntaka’s stance sends a strong message that the government will no longer tolerate these activities.