The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has directed the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the 36-page illegal mining report compiled by former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.

Dr Ayine made this order in his letter to the Executive Director of EOCO, which directed that the National Organiser of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Yamin and a Vice Chairman of the party, Abanga Yakubu Alhassan, be interrogated over credible reports of their involvement in illegal mining also termed as galamsey.

He indicated that the investigation should cover all persons implicated in the Prof Frimpong-Boateng galamsey report, which was submitted to the then-Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.

“This directive is borne out of growing public concern, corroborated by media reports and intelligence, regarding the involvement of some citizens in unauthorised mining operations (generally called galamsey) that are in blatant contravention of the provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended by Act 995. These activities not only flout our mining regulations but also gravely endanger our water bodies, forest reserves, and local livelihoods.

“As your office is aware, HE the President has consistently reiterated his government's firm commitment to eradicating illegal mining and restoring sanity to the natural resource governance regime in Ghana. In line with this national stance, and pursuant to your mandate under the EOCO Act, 2010 (Act 804). I am directing your office to invite the following persons named in recent credible reports for interrogation namely, Mr Yakubu Abanga and Mr Joseph Yamin. Additionally, you are to investigate any other persons found to be complicit in these unlawful mining activities. The scope of this investigation should include the matters highlighted in the Prof Frimpong Boateng's report on illegal mining,” part of the letter read.

The 36-page report by Prof Frimpong-Boateng, which captured galamsey activities during his tenure as chairman of the government's anti-galamsey taskforce, elicited a number of rebuttals, refutations and challenges for evidence, as well as threats of legal action by some persons mentioned.

The then-presidency, via a statement, said it was a catalogue of grievances and that the report was not formally submitted to the Office of the President.

Godfred Dame, the then-Attorney General and Minister of Justice, described the report as a compilation of the views of the former environment minister, which lacked substantiated evidence for prosecuting the individuals mentioned.



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