🔹 Key Points (Summary)
- Anti-Galamsey Coalition convenor, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, has called on Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed to take tougher action against foreign nationals involved in illegal mining.
- He insists foreigners should face trial and serve jail terms in Ghana before deportation.
- Dr. Ashigbey warned that immediate deportation without punishment enables offenders to escape accountability.
- His remarks follow the August 6 helicopter crash that killed eight people, reportedly linked to galamsey activities.
- The Coalition continues to push for stronger measures to fight illegal mining, which threatens Ghana’s environment and security.
The debate over how Ghana should deal with foreigners engaged in illegal mining has resurfaced strongly, with the Anti-Galamsey Coalition calling for a drastic policy shift.
Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, who leads the Coalition, has urged Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed to ensure that foreign nationals arrested for galamsey face the full force of Ghanaian law. According to him, deporting offenders without prosecution only allows them to walk free without paying for the environmental destruction they cause.
His renewed appeal comes in the wake of the August 6 helicopter crash that claimed eight lives. The victims were reportedly heading to a galamsey-related engagement before the fatal accident occurred. Following the tragedy, government authorities announced plans for a fresh crackdown on illegal mining.
Dr. Ashigbey, speaking during a Channel One TV discussion on August 18, argued that Ghana must send a clear message to those who profit from illegal mining. He maintained that prosecuting and jailing foreigners before deporting them is the only way to deter others and protect the nation’s resources.
The Anti-Galamsey Coalition has consistently called for tougher laws and enforcement against both local and foreign participants in illegal mining. Dr. Ashigbey stressed that the Interior Minister now has the opportunity to act decisively, especially at a time when the country is still mourning the loss of lives connected to galamsey activities.
