Gov’t vows action following Galamsey tax expose

The government has pledged to pursue all public officials implicated in an illegal mining taxation scheme exposed in a recent investigative documentary.

The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, stated that no individual would be shielded from prosecution if evidence of wrongdoing is established. He emphasised that accountability would be enforced irrespective of political affiliation or status.

“Once evidence of wrongdoing comes to light, you’d be taken up. It doesn’t matter who is involved. Whilst there’s evidence of wrongdoing, the law will take its course,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu declared during an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Monday.

His comments follow revelations in the JoyNews Hotline documentary titled “A Tax for Galamsey: The extortion racket fuelling illegal mining.” The investigation alleges a systematic scheme involving the authorisation, receipting, and collection of illegal taxes from galamsey operators in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.

Undercover footage and secret recordings presented in the report suggest the existence of an extortion network involving the District Assembly and a taskforce allegedly operating under the authority of the District Chief Executive.

In defence of the government’s commitment, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu pointed to the ongoing prosecution of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, the former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on galamsey-related charges, as proof that the law is being applied.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has called for the immediate removal of the Amansie Central District Chief Executive in light of the documentary’s findings.

The government has stated it will thoroughly study the investigation’s findings and take necessary legal action as part of its broader efforts to clamp down on illegal mining and restore integrity to the sector.