The Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has announced a decisive policy shift aimed at curbing illegal mining and cyber fraud involving foreign nationals in Ghana.
He said the government will prioritize the deportation of foreign nationals involved in these activities, instead of pursuing legal prosecution against them in Ghana.
According to him, several foreign nationals, particularly from China and other countries, have been implicated in unlawful activities including galamsey, illegal logging, and sophisticated online fraud targeting victims worldwide.
He described the operations as highly coordinated and damaging to both the environment and Ghana’s international reputation.
Under the new directive, the Ghana Police Service has been instructed to prioritize the deportation of any foreigner found engaging in these criminal acts, especially those operating within Ghana’s forests. Prosecution, he said, is no longer the focus.
He noted authorities will arrest and process the immediate deportation of offenders without pursuing lengthy legal proceedings.
Those deported will also be placed on a national stop list to prevent re-entry.
The Minister stressed that the government is serious about protecting the country’s natural resources and safeguarding citizens from fraud, warning that any foreign national caught in such activities will be swiftly removed from Ghanaian soil.
