In a decisive move to reinforce accountability and restore integrity in Ghana’s natural resource governance, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has directed the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to initiate a formal investigation into individuals allegedly involved in illegal mining operations, popularly known as “galamsey.”
The directive, dated July 15, 2025, mandates EOCO to urgently interrogate individuals named in recent intelligence reports, notably Mr. Yakubu Abanga and Mr. Joseph Yamin, over their suspected roles in unauthorised mining activities. The action follows sustained public outcry and mounting pressure for transparency in the enforcement of Ghana’s mining laws.
Citing the Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng report, a widely circulated document detailing the infiltration of illegal mining networks into state structures, Dr. Ayine instructed that the probe be extended to any other persons found complicit in the ongoing degradation of Ghana’s water bodies, forest reserves, and farmlands.
“These activities not only violate existing mining regulations but also constitute a serious threat to our national environmental and economic security,” Dr. Ayine stressed in the letter addressed to EOCO’s Executive Director.
In a break from perceived past inaction, the Mahama-led administration appears committed to confronting illegal mining with renewed urgency and political neutrality. The Attorney General reaffirmed the President’s directive to enforce the law without fear or favour, irrespective of political affiliation or status.
“This is about protecting the rule of law and the collective interest of Ghanaians,” Dr. Ayine stated, emphasizing that impunity and environmental destruction can no longer go unchecked.
He urged EOCO to coordinate closely with the Minerals Commission, the primary regulatory agency in the mining sector, to ensure access to data, site inspections, and licensing records that may be key to the investigation.
Governance experts view this directive as a pivotal moment in Ghana’s anti-galamsey fight, potentially signaling a shift from rhetoric to results in the enforcement of environmental and mining regulations.
If followed through, the investigation could test the government’s resolve to cleanse the extractive sector of entrenched networks of illegal operators and political protectors that have long undermined regulatory efforts.
