The police collect returns all the way to national level – Col. Festus Aboagye

Colonel Festus Aboagye (Rtd) has exposed corruption in Ghana’s Police Service. He blames a “returns” culture for hindering the fight against illegal mining.

In an interview on The KeyPoints with Alfred Ocansey, he discussed routine kickbacks within the service. These practices are damaging law enforcement efforts.

“Any revenues from galamsey areas or markets are called returns,” Col. Aboagye stated. He explained that police officers send these returns up the chain of command. Each level takes a cut, creating a widespread issue.

To combat this system, he suggests rotating officers more frequently. “Moving officers around can make the anti-galamsey fight effective,” he said. He believes no official should stay in one position for more than two years.

Col. Aboagye also criticized the Minerals Commission for its role in the crisis. He mentioned calls for changes in leadership due to their licensing decisions.

“If we amend L.I. 2462 or 2642, those issuing licenses must be replaced,” he added. His remarks have renewed calls for reforming Ghana’s regulatory and enforcement structures to address galamsey effectively.