Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, who leads the Anti-Galamsey Coalition, has pressed state institutions to act without delay by arresting NDC officials Joseph Yamin and Yakubu Abanga for their suspected links to galamsey operations.
According to Dr. Ashigbey, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has failed to act on a clear directive from the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, who on July 15, 2025, instructed the investigative body to invite the two NDC executives for questioning. The Attorney-General’s directive followed reports implicating Yamin and Abanga in unauthorised mining activities that continue to fuel environmental degradation across parts of the country.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, August 18, Dr. Ashigbey insisted that selective justice is undermining Ghana’s fight against galamsey.
“The NDC’s National Organiser and National Vice Chairman have been specifically pointed out by the Attorney-General for investigation. Unfortunately, EOCO has not taken any visible action. Just as they moved swiftly against Akonta Mining and its Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako [Wontumi], they must also arrest these two gentlemen and conduct thorough investigations,” he stressed.
The Anti-Galamsey Coalition leader warned that the law must be applied fairly, regardless of political affiliation, if the country is to win the war against illegal mining.
Beyond Yamin and Abanga, Dr. Ashigbey renewed calls for the prosecution of Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who was earlier arrested in connection with the operations of Akonta Mining Ltd.
“We don’t see any progress in the Akonta Mining case. Chairman Wontumi and his director should have been dragged to court by now. Silence from the authorities only fuels public suspicion that some people are above the law,” he argued.
He further urged security agencies to extend investigations to the NDC Member of Parliament for Aowin, Oscar Ofori Larbi, after some chiefs in the area reportedly linked him to illegal mining operations.
Dr. Ashigbey’s concerns come in the wake of the August 6 military helicopter crash that claimed eight lives. Reports suggest the ill-fated mission was connected to ongoing security operations targeting illegal mining sites. The tragic incident has since prompted the government to announce a renewed crackdown on galamsey, heightening calls for accountability and enforcement.
Environmentalists and civil society groups have long warned that illegal mining is destroying water bodies, degrading farmlands, and posing serious threats to public health and food security. Critics argue that weak enforcement, coupled with political interference, continues to embolden those involved in the illicit trade.
