Reshuffle hits 37 Police Commanders in galamsey hotspots as IGP intensifies crackdown

In a decisive move to strengthen the ongoing war against illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has sanctioned a major reshuffle affecting 37 Police Commanders in key mining-prone areas.

The strategic reshuffle, which marks the first phase of a broader operation, is aimed at injecting renewed energy and accountability into the Police Service’s efforts to combat the menace of illegal mining.

The changes affect Divisional and District Commanders across the Eastern South, Western, and Western North Police Regions — areas noted for high galamsey activity.

Police sources say this is just the beginning, as more phases of the reshuffle are expected in the coming weeks to ensure a sustained and focused offensive.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has recorded a significant breakthrough in its anti-galamsey operations.

A special four-day intelligence-led operation, which began on April 17, 2025, in the Samreboi enclave of the Western Region, has resulted in the arrest of 47 individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities.

The operation covered the Tano River area as well as the Aboi, Subri, and Nimiri forests.

The suspects include 39 Ghanaians and 8 Chinese nationals, among them 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

• Four (4) pump action guns

• One (1) single-barrel gun

• Fifty-four (54) live BB cartridges

• Eight (8) pumping machines

All suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to face prosecution.

The IGP has reaffirmed his commitment to waging a relentless war on illegal mining, emphasizing that the reshuffle is part of broader institutional reforms to ensure the Police Service plays a more effective role in protecting the country’s natural resources.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith