IGP reshuffles commanders in galamsey zones

• Posted on April 22, 2025April 22, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has initiated a major reshuffle of Police commanders in galamsey-prone areas, reinforcing the Ghana Police Service’s commitment to waging a relentless war against illegal mining activities.

The reshuffle, affecting Divisional and District Commanders mainly in the Eastern South, Western, and Western North Police Regions, marks the first phase of what is expected to be a series of nationwide changes aimed at injecting fresh energy into the fight against galamsey.

In a related development, the Ghana Police Service has also made significant progress in its battle against illegal mining. A special four-day intelligence-led operation, which began on April 17, 2025, within the Samreboi enclave of the Western Region, has led to the arrest of 47 individuals involved in illegal mining along the Tano River and within the Aboi, Subri, and Nimiri forests.

The suspects include 39 Ghanaians, eight Chinese nationals, and four women.

Items retrieved during the operation include:

• Seventeen (17) excavators

• One (1) bulldozer

• Four (4) motorbikes

• Two (2) Toyota Hilux vehicles

• One (1) Toyota RAV4 vehicle

• Four (4) pump action guns

• One (1) single barrel gun

• Fifty-four (54) live BB cartridges

• Eight (8) pumping machines

All the suspects are currently in custody and will be processed according to the law as investigations continue.

The Police Service has indicated that more reshuffles and operations are planned as part of a broader strategy to dismantle illegal mining networks and protect Ghana’s natural resources.