Juaben chief exec warns police jurisdiction clash curbing anti‑illegal mining

Municipal Chief Executive Eunice Ohenewaa Ansu of Juaben in Ghana's Ashanti Region said three police commands – Konongo, Bekwai and Ejisu – all claim authority over illegal mining sites in the municipality. The overlapping jurisdictions, she explained, create confusion and operational clashes during anti‑galamsey operations, with officers from different commands confronting each other in the same communities.

Ansu also alleged that ad‑hoc security task forces sometimes conduct raids without informing the Municipal Assembly or the Municipal Security Council, leading to confiscated equipment, accusations of extortion and the municipality being publicly blamed. She appealed to the Ministry of the Interior and the Inspector‑General of Police to resolve the jurisdictional disputes so that enforcement against illegal mining can be coordinated under a clear command structure.