Private Teye-Tsu Asare Solomon, a member of the Department of Public Relations, has been promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal with immediate effect after rejecting a bribe from illegal miners.

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General William Agyapong, led the promotion ceremony and announced the good work of the personnel at an all-ranks durbar at the Burma Hall on Friday, July 11.

L/Cpl Teye-Tsu, in addition to his promotion, has been nominated to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in addition to other rewards.

Presenting the rewards, the CDS urged personnel in the service to always act in accordance with their oath to the state and act professionally.

Lieutenant General William Agyapong reminded the officers that as much as acts of indiscipline would attract sanctions, professional acts would attract reward and commendation.

Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Teye-Tsu displayed professionalism during an official deployment on guard duties at the Bibiani Gold Mines in the Western Region where he encountered a group of artisanal miners.

The miners attempted to bribe him with a handsome amount of money to grant them access to the mines, which he rejected and handed them over to the authorities.

In April this year, Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, disclosed that some police officers are allegedly receiving bribes ranging from GH₵2,000 to GH₵3,000 from illegal miners, known locally as galamseyers.

Speaking at a meeting with police leadership in Tarkwa on April 17, Mr Nelson expressed deep concern over the growing allegations of bribery among officers in the fight against illegal mining in the Western Region.

“When I hear that some of you are compromised in the fight against galamsey, I’m saddened. Just this evening, someone called me to complain that some officers are accepting bribes, ranging from GH₵2,000 to GH₵3,000. Whilst money is important, it’s more fulfilling when earned honestly,” he said.

He bemoaned the devastating impact of illegal mining on the environment, warning that food security, water bodies, and livelihoods are all under threat. According to the minister, the consequences of galamsey will be felt by all, regardless of social status or location.

“Some might think, if water bodies are destroyed, we can afford bottled water. But that’s an unfortunate mindset. Galamsey’s consequences will ultimately affect us all, and we’re already seeing its negative impact on our health and lives,” he stated.

The minister urged the Western Central Police Command of the Ghana Police Service to rededicate themselves to the galamsey fight, urging officers to act with integrity and uphold their professional duty.

"On galamsey, there’s a lot to be done. As Regional Minister, I have heard both the good and the bad. While I have commended your efforts, I need to highlight the negative aspects, especially regarding the fight against galamsey," he noted.

"Our environment is being destroyed in the name of finding gold and making money, putting lives at risk," Mr Nelson added.

He stressed that the battle against illegal mining must be pursued with national interest at heart and not influenced by the financial enticements of illegal operators.

He cautioned that reports of uniformed officers accepting bribes from galamseyers and their financiers continue to undermine the state’s efforts to halt the destruction of the environment.

In the Ghana Police Service's recent fight against the menace, two coordinated operations conducted on Friday, June 20, at Nikanika and Adeade in the Central Region led to the arrest of 3 suspects and the seizure of several pieces of mining equipment.

The operations were executed by the Ghana Police Service, through its Special Anti-Galamsey Task Force.

The task force proceeded to a mining site at Nikanika. Although no operators were found at the scene, the team retrieved one (1) single-barrel shotgun loaded with a cartridge and three (3) water pumping machines.