The Convenor of the Anti-Galamsey Coalition, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, has renewed calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of two senior opposition executives—Joseph Yamin, the National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Yakubu Abanga, the party’s National Vice Chairman—over their alleged involvement in illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Dr. Ashigbey, speaking in an exclusive interview with EASTERN FM 105.1 MHZ, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the performance of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). He accused the investigative body of deliberately dragging its feet and ignoring clear directives from the Attorney-General’s Department regarding the two NDC officials.
According to him, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, on Tuesday, 15th July 2025, issued a formal instruction to EOCO to invite both Yamin and Abanga for questioning. This order followed credible intelligence and reports linking the two executives to unauthorized mining operations that continue to devastate Ghana’s environment, water bodies, and forest reserves.
Despite these explicit directives, EOCO has allegedly failed to act. Dr. Ashigbey insists this inaction undermines public trust in the fight against illegal mining and raises questions about the impartial application of justice in Ghana.
“The law must be applied fairly and consistently, regardless of an individual’s political party or status. The NDC’s National Organiser and Vice Chairman have been named in official reports, and the Attorney-General has directed EOCO to act. Yet, to date, nothing has been done. Just as the authorities acted in the case of Chairman Wontumi and Akonta Mining, so must they act in this case as well,” Dr. Ashigbey told EASTERN FM 105.1 MHZ.
He further emphasized that the country cannot win the war against galamsey if enforcement agencies allow political considerations to dictate their actions. To him, selective justice only emboldens perpetrators and weakens the fight against environmental destruction.
Beyond the current allegations against Yamin and Abanga, Dr. Ashigbey also revisited the case of Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). According to him, although EOCO had previously announced investigations into Wontumi’s alleged involvement with Akonta Mining, the Ghanaian public remains in the dark about the outcome.
“We have not been given any meaningful update on the Akonta Mining case. Both Wontumi and his co-directors must be prosecuted if indeed wrongdoing is established. Allowing such cases to disappear without closure only signals weakness in law enforcement,” he remarked during his conversation with EASTERN FM 105.1 MHZ.
The Anti-Galamsey Coalition, under Dr. Ashigbey’s leadership, has consistently pressed for accountability in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining. The coalition maintains that galamsey is not just an environmental threat but also a security and public health crisis, given its destructive impact on rivers, farmlands, and local communities.
Dr. Ashigbey concluded his remarks by urging EOCO, the Attorney-General’s Department, and other relevant state institutions to demonstrate true independence, courage, and commitment in handling politically sensitive cases. He stressed that only through equal application of the law can Ghana hope to dismantle the entrenched networks that continue to fuel illegal mining activities.
STORY BY: KENNEDY AMPONSAH NTI
EASTERN FM 105.1 MHZ
NEWS ROOM
