The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over the alleged misconduct of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) in the Birim Central Municipality, Hon Solomon Kusi Brako.
The Minority, led by Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, demanded for the immediate suspension of the Municipal Chief Executive, and an independent investigation into his involvement in extorting money from illegal miners.
According to Hon. Annoh-Dompreh, the Birim Central MCE has been leveraging his position to extort money from ‘galamseyers,’ claiming to be charging them fines for their illegal activities.
However, the Minority Chief Whip argued that there is no legal basis for the MCE’s actions, as the Birim Central Municipal Assembly’s by-laws do not authorize him to impose those fines.
“Can you imagine? He is supposed to be the representative of the president. He represents the president in that municipality. And I don’t know which part of the by-laws, I have looked at the Oda Municipal Assembly, there are by-laws, there is no by-law that allows him to charge illegal miners a fine.”
Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh
The Minority’s allegations suggest a troubling pattern of abuse of power, as the MCE is accused of pocketing the money collected from the illegal miners and, in some cases, even reporting them to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), despite having already extorted funds from them.
Combating of Illegal Mining
Illegal mining, or ‘galamsey,’ has been a persistent challenge for the country, causing significant environmental degradation, water pollution, and health hazards for local communities.
The government has implemented various initiatives to combat this menace, including the establishment of NAIMOS, a specialized task force dedicated to cracking down on illegal mining operations, revocation of Legislative Instrument (L.I 2462) which allows mining in the forest reserves, revocation of over 278 mining licences, etc.
However, the Minority’s allegations against the Birim Central MCE highlight the dynamics involved in this fight, as the very officials tasked with enforcing the law appear to be exploiting the situation for personal gain.
This undermines the government’s efforts and undermines public trust in the authorities’ ability to effectively address the illegal mining crisis.
Galamseyer and politics
There have been several allegations of Government officials and politically connected individuals persistently undermining the efforts to combat illegal mining through a combination of corruption, political interference, and the protection of offenders, leading to widespread environmental devastation.
As Reports have it, a sitting member of parliament was alleged to have confronted the NAIMOS officers demanding the release of apprehended individuals who were allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities. The matter has since been referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies to investigate.
Demand for Action
In response to the allegations, the Minority has called on the Minister for Local Government. Hon. Ahmed Ibahaim to take immediate action. They have demanded the suspension of Mr. Solomon Kusi, the Birim Central MCE, to pave way for an independent investigation into his alleged misconduct.
“If this government is serious about the fight against Galamsey, they must demonstrate it. And this is one of their litmus tests. They must demonstrate it,” Hon. Annoh-Dompreh emphasised.
The mining industry is closely watching this development, as the government’s handling of the Birim Central MCE case will be a crucial test of its commitment to combating illegal mining activities and upholding the rule of law.
The Minority’s call for swift and decisive action underscores the need for a comprehensive and transparent approach to addressing the complex challenges posed by the ‘galamsey’ problem.
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