Awula Serwaa is the Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens
Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaa, has criticised the Amansie Central District Assembly for dismissing allegations that it benefits from illegal mining, describing the Assembly’s response as both “disappointing” and “dangerous” to Ghana’s fight against galamsey.
Speaking on JoyNews’ “The Pulse” show on Tuesday, Awula Serwaa said the posture adopted by local authorities following the JoyNews Hotline documentary shows a troubling lack of urgency about the environmental and public health dangers posed by illegal mining.
“The way we are treating this matter shows that we don’t appreciate how serious it is. This is a national issue. We are being poisoned, yet the Assembly is trying to justify it. I am quite disappointed because this should have been dealt with swiftly,” she said.
Her comments come on the back of a statement issued by the Amansie Central District Assembly on February 9, 2026, in which it rejected claims that it had set up a system to profit from illegal mining activities.
The Assembly described media reports about a so-called “galamsey tax” as misleading, insisting that it was merely collecting revenue from operators of earth-moving equipment as part of a longstanding administrative practice.
According to the Assembly, the revenue collection system predates the current administration and has been wrongly “framed to suit a convenient political narrative.”
Awula Serwaa, however, dismissed this explanation, arguing that it contradicts the government’s stated commitment to a national “reset.”
“You said we were coming to do a reset, but now illegality is happening, and the Assembly is trying to justify it,” she said.
The controversy follows the JoyNews Hotline investigation titled “A Tax for Galamsey: The extortion racket fuelling illegal mining,” which uncovered what it described as a “pay-to-destroy syndicate” operating in the district.
The exposé alleged that illegal miners pay as much as GH₵6,000 annually to operate banned changfang machines, with the tacit approval of local authorities.
Awula Serwaa expressed concern that, despite the gravity of the allegations, decisive action has yet to be taken.
“I am quite disappointed because this matter should have been dealt with swiftly. He should not be at post,” she said, referring to the Amansie Central District Chief Executive.
She further warned that the alleged wrongdoing may extend beyond one district and called on law enforcement agencies to widen their investigations.
“Let’s be clear, he is not the only DCE involved in this kind of activity. They should all be rounded up, arrested and prosecuted, so that we can see that there is truly a reset going on,” she stressed.
NA/AM
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