Mpohor DCE extorting money from galamseyers - Group alleges

The government has been urged to investigate Ignatius Assah Mensah, District Chief Executive for Mpohor, in the midst of accusations and counter-accusations on his alleged involvement in extorting money from galamseyers (illegal miners) in the Mpohor district.

Recently, there was a flash news about Ignatius Assah Mensah's alleged involvement in bribery and corruption dealings with galamsey operatiors in the district through a task force that operates contrary to government's directive.

Victims claimed they paid between GHC 1, 000 and GHC 3, 000, after which the DCE shares the money with his team in the task force and other beneficiaries, and that those who are unable to pay have had their machines burnt because they put up a challenge. The victims mentioned one Morrison Amissah, NPP Mpohor Constituency Vice Chairman, and K. Duah, Npp polling station executive in Adum-Banso, an ex-galasamyer, and now unofficial bodyguard of the DCE, as those in charge of the "money collection" operation in the Mpohor district.

On 8th November 2018, another story emerged, touting that the DCE as "competently and unprecedently fighting illegal mining in the district as described by farmers and people in the district, and as a result various water bodies are gaining their natural colour in the area".

The Wassaman Coalition Against Illegal Mining (WACALM), therefore, calls on the government to initiate an investigation to find out how galamsey is destroying waterbodies in the Mpohor district as conflicting stroies emerge to dent the image of the Npp government.

WACALM said much as Operation Vanguard had visited the Mpohor district 8 times to check illegal mining, it is worrying that the menace is still prevalent, and the color of water bodies has not changed in the Mpohor district.

"It is important that the government finds out the truth about this dangerous situation of alleged extortions by the DCE through his agents because it will definitely affect the popularity of President Akufo-Addo in the Mpohor district if it is true that his own party people are engaged in this act of illegality to support illegal mining", WACALM stated.