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Galamsey fight: I have chalked more successes than all NDC administrations – Dame
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has defended his record on galamsey prosecutions, saying that he has chalked more successes than witnessed under all the administrations of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NDC recently called for Mr Dame’s resignation, accusing him of failing to prosecute persons named in the former Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee against Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng’s report on illegal mining in Ghana.
The opposition party also urged Ghanaians to reject the recent legal opinion offered by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice on the report. The NDC alleged that the Attorney-General’s advice referring to portions of the report as lacking evidence was nothing but a cover-up and an attempt to whitewash the damning report.
But in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 18, Mr Dame said that he has recorded greater success in securing convictions for galamsey offences than witnessed in erstwhile NDC administrations.
He disclosed that between August 2021 and September 2022, 33 persons including 11 foreign nationals were convicted and sentenced under Act 995 in the Eastern Region.
“Following the enactment of the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 995) in the administration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the punishment regime for illegal mining was drastically enhanced to a minimum of 15 years for a Ghanaian and 20 years for a non-Ghanaian.”
“This rendered prosecution more difficult as culprits, faced with the reality of the lack of an option of a fine, became more reluctant to plead guilty. Despite this, I have recorded greater success in securing a conviction for Galamsey offences than witnessed in erstwhile NDC administrations.”
Mr Dame also said that on 31st August 2023, the Circuit Court, Tarkwa, sentenced 25 people to various terms in prison ranging between 15 and 20 years each together with various hefty fines, following a successful prosecution by his office.
He added that currently, over 130 cases of illegal mining involving over 800 accused persons are being prosecuted in courts in the Western, Eastern, Ashanti, Greater-Accra, and Upper East Regions of Ghana.
“Currently, over 130 cases of illegal mining involving over 800 accused persons are being prosecuted in courts in the Western, Eastern, Ashanti, Greater-Accra, and Upper East Regions of Ghana. The cases are at various stages of their conduct with some near conclusion,” he added.
Source:Citinewsroom.com
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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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
