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DjQwequ Blog of Saturday, 19 July 2025
Source: Emmanuel Jacob Amissah
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, has sparked fresh debate over the credibility of Ghana’s political leadership in tackling illegal mining, also known as galamsey. Drawing a sharp contrast between the current and former presidents, Dr. Ashigbey stated that while President Akufo-Addo failed to act against politically connected miners, former President John Mahama is demonstrating real accountability.
Speaking on Ghana Tonight on TV3, Dr. Ashigbey revealed that President Akufo-Addo had personally assured him that Akonta Mining—a company linked to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi)—was not engaged in galamsey. However, he said that subsequent developments contradicted that assurance.
“President Akufo-Addo once told me that Akonta Mining was not involved in galamsey,” he said. “Yet today, we see Mahama ordering investigations into his own party members like Joseph Yamin and Yakubu Alhassan Abanga. That’s what leadership looks like.”
Dr. Ashigbey emphasized that this stark difference in handling such sensitive issues should not go unnoticed. He argued that Mahama’s willingness to probe his own officials reflects transparency and political maturity, traits that are essential in the national fight against illegal mining.
He also called for fairness in enforcement, urging the current administration to extend the same scrutiny it applies to the opposition to those within its own ranks.
“This is not the time for selective justice. We must treat all suspects equally, whether they belong to the NPP or NDC,” he stressed.
