Awula Serwah, Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens
Awula Serwah, Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, has criticised a new policy introduced by Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak to deport foreigners engaged in criminal activities, including illegal mining, rather than prosecuting them.
Speaking in Accra on Friday, April 4, the minister said the policy seeks to swiftly remove foreign nationals who contribute to environmental destruction and other crimes in the country.
“When we arrest any foreigner, we are not interested in prosecuting. Our first option is to take them to their country. I have officially written to the Attorney General,” he said.
He added that individuals deported under this policy would be placed on a stop list, barring them from re-entering Ghana.
Reacting to the announcement on Accra-based GHOne TV, the anti-galamsey advocate insisted that foreign nationals involved in illegal mining and related crimes must be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
“Deporting rather than prosecuting foreigners involved in galamsey—where is the deterrence?” she quizzed.
