The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Anti-Galamsey Task Force is going through mandatory rotation of standard operational procedure to ensure effectiveness and not withdrawal from its operations.
The Director General of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Grace Ansah-Akrofi disclosed this to The Chronicle on Thursday.
According to her, the rotation has been a component of the operations since its inception in March, of this year, at Samreboi in the Western Region, where remarkable successes have been chalked, through Dieso and presently Manso, in the Ashanti Region.
Her statement came in the wake of social media reports that the Task Force has been withdrawn and reassigned elsewhere.
She went on that, due to the stress and fatigue involved, after completing a duty tour in the galamsey endemic areas, freshness leading to effectiveness is what the personnel needed to tackle the menace of illegal mining activities.
The police spokesperson continued that, rotation is a strategic plan to maintain a strong presence in these areas, while allowing personnel to rest and regroup.
ACP Ansah-Akrofi opined that presently, a new contingent is being prepared to take over, ensuring that the fight against galamsey goes on unabated.
The police, she went on, assure the public that “the rotation is a routine operations matter and not a reflection of any change in the police’s stance on the issue, neither a sign of withdrawal nor diminished focus on the disturbing situation.”
She concludes by saying that the IGP, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, remains committed to tackling the galamsey menace, which poses significant environmental and social threat to the nation.
