Speaking in an interview, the Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, said the officers assist the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) through intelligence gathering operations aimed at tackling galamsey.
According to him, the nature of their work often exposes them to pressure from illegal miners who attempt to influence them with huge financial offers.
“They are paid well over GH₵1,500 a month. I will be honest, there have been reports where very hefty sums of money were offered to them. If you are getting the GH₵1,500 and you go to the field and somebody is offering to give you GH₵20,000 on the spot, naturally you will feel like you have to give in,” he said.
Schandorf disclosed that some personnel have already been removed from the programme after internal monitoring systems detected misconduct among certain members.
“We have a mechanism that is able to detect some of these so there were a couple of them who were recruited and who have all been withdrawn because they were found culpable,” he added.
He stressed that despite such challenges, systems have been put in place to promote accountability and ensure officers remain committed to the fight against illegal mining.