The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied the allegation of deploying military officials to provide security for some mining firms in Ghana.

On 26 September 2022, an Accra-based media house, Joy news, aired a documentary in which one Nana Kusi Frempong Kotobre, Mentiahene of Bekwai, alleged that some soldiers have been deployed to offer security for an illegal mining firm operating in the Kobro Forest in Amansie Central.

The GAF in a press release signed and issued on Friday, September 30, 2022, by the Director of Public Relations, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbi describing the reportage as misleading asked the general public to disregard the allegation.

“In a video with some recycled content of past unsubstantiated allegations which have since gone viral, Mentiahene of Bekwai, Nana Kusi Frempong Kotobre, alleges that military personnel are providing security for an illegal mining firm operating in the Kobro Forest in Amansie Central. GAF wishes to state categorically that there are no military personnel deployed for such activities and no soldier is providing security for any mining company in any forest reserve in any part of the country.”

Giving more insight into the allegations, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbi stated that the attire worn by the men seen in the circulated video is not that of the Ghana Armed Forces uniform.

The pattern of the uniform donned by the men is a US military camouflage.

He further alleged that the men in uniform were contracted by a registered small-scale mining company named ‘Elvis and Co Mining Ltd’.

“These private security guards should not be misconstrued as GAF personnel because their camouflage pattern uniforms are even totally distinct from GAF.”

Nonetheless, he said these men working for a private security firm and alleging to be military personnel have been picked up by security agency for investigation.

GAF noted that several impersonators in recent times have also been arrested and handed over to the Police for prosecution.

GAF further pledged its commitment to revamp it operations in order to aid the fight against illegal mining.

“Accordingly, GAF has revamped Operation Halt II in order to intensify its surgical operations to curb the destruction of the forest reserves and pollution of the river bodies.”

Source: The Independent Ghana