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NDC Chairman Accuses District Police Commander of Extorting Up to GHC 300,000 from Galamsey Operators.
By:Hon Justice Baffour-managing editor www DAILYWATCHGH.com/0246930931
The Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Wassa Amenfi East, Nana Kofi Atokyi, has leveled serious allegations against the District Police Commander, accusing him of extorting large sums of money from illegal miners, commonly referred to as galamsey operators.
According to Nana Kofi Atokyi, the police commander has allegedly collected amounts ranging between GHC 200,000 and GHC 300,000 from individuals engaged in illegal mining activities within the district. He claims that these payments were made in exchange for protection and the freedom to continue their operations without interference from law enforcement authorities.
Speaking in an interview, the NDC chairman expressed deep concern over what he described as a worrying trend of corruption within the security services, particularly in areas heavily affected by illegal mining. He noted that such actions, if proven true, undermine the government’s ongoing efforts to combat galamsey, which continues to pose serious environmental and economic threats to the country.
Nana Atokyi further alleged that the supposed arrangement between the police commander and the illegal miners has emboldened operators, leading to an increase in destructive mining activities along major water bodies and farmlands in the Wassa Amenfi East constituency.
He called on the leadership of the Ghana Police Service and other relevant authorities to immediately investigate the matter and take swift action to restore public confidence in the security system. He emphasized that accountability and transparency are crucial in the fight against illegal mining and corruption.
The NDC chairman also urged the government to intensify its monitoring mechanisms to ensure that security personnel deployed to galamsey-prone areas carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism.
Efforts to reach the District Police Commander for a response to the allegations have so far been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, residents and stakeholders in the area are calling for an independent probe into the claims to ascertain the truth and bring any culpable individuals to justice.
The issue of illegal mining, or galamsey, remains a major national concern, with successive governments implementing various measures to curb the menace. However, allegations of complicity by some officials continue to threaten the effectiveness of these intervention.
