Mr S K Boafo (fourth from right,seated) with the participants and other officials from the police and Minerals Commission
A total of 191 mining guards (MG) made up of 179 males and 12 females are receiving training at the Tesano Police Training School to help combat illegal mining popularly referred to as “galamsey” across the country.
At the opening ceremony for the training in Accra yesterday, the Board Chairman of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Samson K. Boafo said, the two weeks intensive training for the guards was part of processes towards the lifting of the ban on small-scale mining and to sanitise the sector.
Mr. Boafo stated that, the mining guards would be assigned after the training for a period of two years, to police mining sites.
The Chairman said, before drawing the roadmap, the board had serious deliberation that crystalled into the concept of mining guards which presented it to the government through the sector minister.
The Commission, he said, had taken delivery of 17 pickups, 17 computers, 28 tablets and would soon receive another set of 26 pickups and 43 motorbikes for distribution to six regional offices, 13 district offices and 14 satellite offices to assist them in their operations.
“Your activities in the field will be backed by advanced technology including drones and satellite tracking system, therefore, if anyone of you attempts to compromise his or her responsibilities, the technology will certainly own you up,” he warned.
According to the Chairman, the mining guards would be working alongside Operation Vanguard, before the ban would be lifted on small-scale miningto stop to galamsey.
Mr Boafo urged participants to endeavour to discharge their duties diligently.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ms. Deborah Addison-Campbell addressing the mining guards said, the establishment of the mining guard corps fits right into the ongoing police transformation agenda towards enhancing community policing.
“It is important to note that modern policing practice seeks community support to curb crime,” she added.
According to her, the establishment of the mining corps came with many benefits to the youth in areas notoriously known for illegal practices.
ACP Addison-Campbell said, the initiative was not only to help protect the environment but to also bring a sense of safety and security in such areas of operation.
She appealed to the Commission for support to help rehabilitate their old classrooms into modern classroom blocks to enhance future training programmes.
By Allia Noshie
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