Security services urged to stamp out illegal mining

The Minister for the Interior, Mr Mark Woyongo had called on the Security Services in the Eastern Region to come out with innovative ways to stamp out illegal mining in the Region.

The Minister urged them not to wait for resources from national security but to find resources within the region to implement their plans.

Mr Woyongo said the mining law is being reviewed to include clauses that would empower the state to confiscate all equipment used in illegal mining to serve as a deterrents to those companies who were using their resources to support illegal mining in the country.

The Minister for Interior was speaking at a durbar of officers and men of the various security services under his Ministry in the Eastern Region at Koforidua as part of his two days duty tour of the region.

He observed that the activities of extremists in Libya, Northern Mali and Nigeria were not good signs for the West African Sub-region and explained that, such situations called for collaboration among the various security agents to make them effective.

Mr Woyong therefore called on the various security services under his Ministry to collaborate and share information and resources to be effective to continue to protect the peace and security of the country.

He said the law that established the Immigration Service was being reviewed to enable the members of the Service to carry weapons to enable them effectively protect the boarders of the country.

The Minister said his ministry was considering proposals before it for the establishment of an independent police commission made up of retired judges, senior police officers, lawyers and some identifiable institutions where people who have complains against members of the police service could seek redress and also police men could also lodge complains for unfair treatment for redress.

The Minister said his office was also considering regularizing the training of private security companies to ensure that, staff of those companies receive the same quality of training and ensure that such companies conform to dressing codes that do not complicate the dressing of the various national security services in the country.

Mr Woyongo commended the members of the various security services in the country for their contribution towards the peace and security of the country and advised them not to allow the various criticism from the public to dampen their spirit but rather motivate them to improve upon their performance.