Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak has revealed that the incumbent government has opted not to prosecute foreign nationals involved in illegal mining and fraudulent activities in the country.
Instead, the government is implementing a policy aimed at deporting these individuals promptly upon their arrest.
The Interior Minister made this remark during an engagement with the Ashanti Regional Police Command.
“Galamsey is one of Ghana’s biggest challenges. We’ve seen that some Chinese and some foreign nationals engage in this illegality. So we have said that when such persons are caught engaging in such illegality like galamsey or fraud, we will deport them back to their countries,” he noted on Thursday, April 3, 2024.
This announcement follows a recent initiative to deport 107 foreign nationals who were apprehended for allegedly damaging forest reserves and water bodies as a result of illegal mining and fraud-related activities.
According to Muntaka Mubarak, this initiative highlights the government’s determination to tackle the role of foreign nationals, including individuals from China, in illegal mining and deceitful practices.
He added that the deportation efforts are part of a wider strategy to restore order and uphold the rule of law across various sectors.
The Interior Minister added that discussions with the Attorney-General are progressing to ensure proper legal guidance for these actions.
