Ghana will deport all foreign nationals involved in illegal mining, or galamsey, as part of a crackdown on the practice.
The government will launch a military operation to round up and prosecute illegal miners, with a focus on repeat offenders, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said
Speaking to some members of the Ghanaian community in Lagos, Nigeria at the weekend, the Minister reiterated President John Mahama’s firm stance on safeguarding Ghana’s natural resources.
“It has been stated by President Mahama that no form of mining will be tolerated in our river bodies or forest reserves," he stated.
“In the next few days, people will be rounded up and prosecuted,” he said, indicating the seriousness of the impending clampdown.
He further disclosed that while numerous deportations have already taken place, these efforts have not been widely publicised.
“A lot of deportations have already been carried out; they have just not been advertised,” he explained.
