Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has requested Parliament to summon the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame to the House. According to him, this is to help answer some questions pertinent to government’s measures deployed in combating illegal mining.
He further explained that, this was in accordance with Article 88 to explain the position taken by the President in defending the burning of excavators.
“We will want to summon the Attorney General in accordance with Article 88 of the constitution as the Principal advisor to the government; on why the President should not be held in check for being in breach of the laws of Ghana. Say that some evidence, material must be provided that burning excavators is sanctioned by the laws of Ghana and I wait to see that law.
“Extra Judicial Power is never vested in the President. So, the Attorney General will be brought before this house because we want him to lead the lawful Republic of Ghana to his oath to uphold the constitution; and the laws of Ghana and to hold himself accountable to the laws of Ghana”.
Burning of Excavators
Earlier, President Akufo-Addo had recommended to persons who disagreed with actions by the Operation Halt team to resort to the court.
The President had indicated that the equipment, which is being used for an illegal purpose, “cannot confer on the owner or any other person any rights whatsoever”.
That notwithstanding, Mr. Iddrisu maintained that, there is no law found in the constitution that supports the burning of excavators.
Rebutting Mr. Iddrisu’s statements, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu insists the President was right by urging aggrieved persons to take legal action.
He stated that vital parts of the excavators are taken out by operators to render them immobile. As such, he supports efforts by the Operation Halt team to ensure such excavators cannot be used to further the misdeed.
Reducing galamsey to a security problem
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Wa West, Superintendent Peter Toobu, has questioned the burning of excavators by government in a bid to tackle galamsey.
According to Supt. Toobu, government and the military must follow the law by presenting seized equipment in the custody of the police. This, he explained, is better than resorting to burning them on-site.
He further explained that, the equipment will also serve as exhibits relevant to the courts in prosecuting those behind the illegal operations.
“We are reducing the galamsey fight to a security problem. When you analyse it this way and you design a strategy to deal with it, failure is imminent. We failed in Operation Vanguard, and what are the lessons learnt? The criminal justice system runs on evidence, and the President even knows that he doesn’t have any right to declare anybody as a criminal. It has to be done by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“So, if you go to the mining site, the site must be an illegal site. If the machines that are there are there illegally, these are pieces of exhibits. So, if you decide to burn all the exhibits and you say those who think they have the right should go to court, well the law is clear that these exhibits should be handed over to the police for safekeeping”.
Read Also: The time for action is now- Lands Minister on Green Ghana project
