Masawudu Mubarick, a former parliamentary aspirant in Asawase constituency and environmentalist, has called for a complete overhaul of Forestry Commission officers who are involved in the fight against illegal mining activities in the country.
This comes following a directive to the IGP, by the Minister for Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, to initiate a mass transfer of police commanders in galamsey-affected areas.
The young, vibrant politician who contested the Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase constituency in the 2023 NDC parliamentary primaries, argued that the same stringent measures must apply to forestry commission officials to effectively combat galamsey.
“Similar move needed for all Forestry Commission staff serving in galamsey endemic areas,” Mr. Mubarick stated in reaction to the Minister’s announcement.
The Interior Minister had earlier ordered the IGP, COP Yohonu, to immediately transfer all regional, divisional, and district police commanders in mining zones, warning that non-performing replacements would also be rotated within three months.
“I have ordered the IGP to transfer all police commanders in all mining areas and send in new ones,” Mubarak announced, adding that “…if you are a regional, divisional, and district police commander serving in mining areas, you will be changed with immediate effect.”
He cautioned, “the new ones [police commanders] we are taking there will be transferred after three months if they don’t perform. We will keep making changes till we see results.”
