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Ellembelle District Assembly reacts to Magistrate’s claim
● The Assembly says the relocation had nothin to do with illegal mining
The Ellembelle District Assembly in the Western Region has refuted claims that the District Magistrate, Madam French AwoAmissah, is relocating from her official bungalow due to illegal mining within the premises.
In a letter dated July 29, 2022 and copied to the Regional Administrative Officer of Judiciary Service of Ghana, Sekondi, the District Chief Executive, Mr Kwasi Bonzoh stated that the decision of the magistrate to relocate had nothing to do with the threat to her safety, security and health, as a result of the alleged illegal mining.
He added: “she is only using that as a ploy to move out of her official residence so she can continue enjoying her personal benefit of accommodation/rent allowance from the Judicial Service which she has been directed to forfeit as long as she continues to live in a government bungalow.
“It is, therefore, not surprising to us that the Magistrate did not even deem it necessary to inform us of her decision to relocate until the District Chief Executive (DCE) called her personally on Wednesday, July 27,2022, around 6:30 pm, after receiving the letter from the Regional Administrative Officer of the Judicial Service of Ghana.”
MrBonzoh argued that before Ms Amissah decided to relocate, there was absolutely no threat to her life and safety and that as Chairman of the District Security Committee (DISEC), he knew she had two police guards, one personal bodyguard and another residence guard.
He said it was, therefore, deceptive for the Magistrate to cite her personal safety and security as reasons for relocating.
He again stated “We find the attempt by the Magistrate to link her decision to move out of her bungalow to the purported ongoing galamseyas very disingenuous. This is because currently there is no ongoing illegal mining behind her residence as she wants the world to believe.”
Mr Bonzoh believed that the District Magistrate Court should be one of the foremost institutions within Ellembelle to prove the relentless efforts in the fight against galamsey in the last three years.
He recalled that in February 2021, DISEC gathered intelligence on illegal mining atTelekuBokazo which extended to the backyard of the bungalow jointly occupied by the Esiama Divisional Police Commander and the Magistrate of the Nkroful District Court.
He said, DISEC convened a meeting on March 5, 2021, with stakeholders and immediately conducted an operation at the site leading to arrest of one Mr. Stephen Miah and two others on March 22,2021.
The perpetrators pleaded not guilty and were granted bail and the case was adjourned to 7th April, 2021.
MrBonzo said, the Assembly had taken steps to stop illegal mining in the District.
“The very Magistrate of the Nkroful District Court who is claiming that the galamsey activities ongoing poses a great threat to her life is the same person who has been frustrating the Assembly’s fight against galamsey by treating galamseyers with kids gloves,” he added.
MrBonzohsaid that, on Monday, April 4, 2022, the District Magistrate overturned her earlier conviction and ordered that the accused should be freed.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Takoradi
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
