The fight against illegal mining in Eastern Region has received a major boost following the inauguration of National Signals Bureau Eastern Regional Command in Koforidua.
The Command, according to the Minister of Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has the capabilities of monitoring illegal mining activities across the region and track the perpetrators.
Speaking at the commissioning of the ultra-modern facility on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the Minister said the Command is equipped with advanced surveillance and intelligence-gathering systems to detect and track criminal activities in real time.
“What we have here has huge capability of monitoring galamsey activities, and we will chase the perpetrators and deal with them accordingly,” Hon. Muntaka Mubarak stated.
He noted that the new facility, one of four to be commissioned this year, can access a network of 10,000 CCTV cameras nationwide, allowing for real -time surveillance and coordinated response to security threats
“Signals intelligence allows the NSB to lawfully intercept, analyze, and interpret these digital communications. It is a powerful tool that helps our security agencies to track the movements of kidnappers, dismantle networks of fraudsters, pre-empt armed robberies, and disrupt the activities of transnational criminal organisations. It moves us from reactive security to proactive prevention”
The Eastern Regional Office will work closely with other security agencies, including the Ghana Police Service, National Intelligence Bureau, Ghana Armed Forces, and Ghana Fire Service, as well as the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to provide data-driven insights for maintaining peace and order.
Muntaka Mubarak said the security infrastructure aligns with the John Mahatma led government’s effort to modernize national security architecture and enhance public safety under the reset agenda and broader commitment under 24-Hour Economy policy.
Hon. Muntaka Mubarak acknowledged that the foundation for the NSB’s modernization was laid in 2014 during the first John Dramani Mahama administration through the Alpha Phase One project, which established an ultra-modern Tier III Data Centre – the first of its kind in West Africa.
The National Security Coordinator, COP Abdul Osman Razak, urged the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to work closely with the Bureau to act swiftly on intelligence gathered to combat crime.
Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, said the security of the region is threatened by illegal mining activities with its attendant, environmental degradation, armed robbery, illicit use of drugs, therefore excited that the NSB command has been established to help deal with these menace and other sophisticated crimes.
She pledged the commitment of the Regional Coordinating Council to supporting the center operate effectively and efficiently to boost security in the region.
The Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, Dr. George Atta Boateng, explained that the Bureau is expanding its regional presence to protect citizens and enhance cybersecurity and surveillance systems.
He, however, cautioned that the Bureau will come after individuals who use social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook to spread misinformation or incite violence.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/
